Auckland speed table modified after complaints, claims of damage to vehicles

Auckland Transport to modify Glen Eden speed table after complaints

Auckland Transport is spending $350,000 to modify a speed table in the Glen Eden town centre, responding to years of complaints that the ramp was damaging vehicles.

The speed table, located on West Coast Road and Glendale Road, was installed in 2021 as part of a $6.5 million safety and improvement project along West Coast Road, largely funded by the NZ Transport Authority. Now, after residents reported damage to suspensions and broken engine mounts, the ramp is being adjusted to be less pronounced.

Heather Tanguay of the Glen Eden Residents Association said the complaints have been consistent since installation. "This shouldn't have happened," she said. "It was causing damage to people's cars, under their vehicles ... big buses, fire engines, all of those people will be happier it's being fixed."

Tanguay acknowledged the speed table had been effective in reducing accidents but argued the design should have been correct from the start. "The speed table was serving its purpose and reducing the number of accidents on the West Auckland road, but the design should have been right from the start to save ratepayers' money," she said.

The local board has been pressing for changes for years. Chair Mark Allen said, "The speed table has been one of the key issues raised by local residents since it was installed, so we're pleased to see Auckland Transport progressing this work."

Design standards under scrutiny

Michael Brown, Auckland Transport's head of road safety engineering, said the original design standards resulted in raised tables that were "severe and uncomfortable" to cross. He noted that the severity of the ramps had generated numerous complaints over the years.

Brown added that funding for the modification came from savings elsewhere in the wider Road Safety Programme, allowing the transport agency to address the steep ramp.

Auckland Transport maintained that the initial project was completed to the design and standards requirements in 2020. The agency noted that the device is on a key arterial route through a busy town centre, making the required traffic management complex and costly. However, after considering ongoing safety benefits, savings identified from other projects, and the local board's advocacy, a decision was made to proceed with the works.

Safety track record

Brown said there had been a significant reduction in crashes across the town centre since the speed table was installed. Prior to its installation, there were around 19 crashes per year, with 94 crashes over five years, including five serious injury crashes averaging one per year. A post-implementation evaluation conducted two years after completion found the crash rate had dropped to six per year, with no serious injuries recorded.

Brown noted that each serious injury crash carries an estimated social cost of approximately $1 million, underscoring the safety benefits of the installation.

Modification details

The modification will make the speed table less pronounced and smoother for vehicles to drive across. Work is scheduled to take two weekends, beginning August 21, weather permitting.