Dear Editor
What a joke it is that Auckland claims to be actively working on its air pollution when all over Auckland more and bigger speed bumps are appearing everywhere and Auckland Transport claims to be out of money?
I am astounded by what Auckland Transport is doing in the name of keeping drivers safe. It started in my area with Wheturangi Road where speed bumps were put in on the whole of the road every hundred metres. Now it’s everywhere and the bumps are getting bigger.
While in the UK before we were locked down, I read an interesting article. It was about how all over the UK they were removing speed bumps as it had been proved that the pollution these speed bumps caused were killing people who lived near them. It went on to say that the slowing and then the acceleration was causing pollution at unexpected rates causing death as mentioned above.
In Auckland, they are outside schools where kids are playing and outside churches where people are worshipping. I wonder when or if Auckland Council is keeping data on people who live around these bumps to see if they are being affected in the same way as in the UK.
You don’t have to be very intelligent to figure out that pollution must be increased as a car slows and then accelerates compared to when the car stays at a constant speed. It’s also funny that Auckland Transport is trying to get people interested in riding bicycles when they will also be breathing this polluted air.
And if people do start bicycling and catching trains and using buses these speed bumps will be wasted money.
For anyone that’s interested I have a copy of the article that I read in the UK. It’s interesting reading and perhaps Auckland Transport should make themselves aware of it.
Don T
