Bike death throws spotlight on the Walvis-Swakop road

THE recent placing of concrete pillars next to the road between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay has become the cause of a raging debate following the death of a motorbike rider last weekend.

Newspapers have been bombarded with letters from residents fiercely criticising the “pillars of death” as they have come to be named. “These pillars have claimed the first death at Vierkantklip,” said one letter writer.Victor Fourie died and his passenger Vicky Olivier was seriously injured when their motorbike left the road in the Vierkantklip area on Sunday, July 3.Most of the letter writers argue that the pillars have been placed too close to the road, making it a safety hazard.”If they have been put there for safety reasons, take them out and put a permanent traffic cop on the road instead,” said one irate resident.Another said:”Can somebody please take these ugly things out before more people die?” People are also asking why the public were not informed of the purpose of the pillars.The Namibian established that the pillars were placed by a contractor on behalf of the Roads Authority.A total of 4 500 pillars were put up at Usakos, Nonidas and outside Swakopmund on the road to Walvis Bay.The main purpose of the pillars is to regulate traffic in order to make the road safer.An official at the RA said the pillars were placed on the road because of “public demand”.He said his office had received hundreds of calls for help from the public to do something about these specific roads.”Walvis Bay has also requested help.”On the Swakopmund-Walvis Bay road the main danger were vehicles and quad bikes driving onto the road from the beach.At Nonidas trucks that were loading gravel would drive onto the main road, instead of using a service road.Fanie Kruger, Chief Traffic Officer of the Swakopmund Municipality, also said the pillars were placed in consultation with the traffic department.Both the officials said the pillars would not pose a danger if people adhered to the 80 km speed limit applicable at the specific stretch of road near Vierkantklip.They said a vehicle travelling at 80 km/h and leaving the road would not necessarily hit the pillars.”There will be no danger if people remain within the rules and regulations,” said Kruger.The pillars were placed at the end of the road shoulder, which is between two to three metres from the tar road, according to the official.The official pointed out that the same pillars had been placed on the Western Bypass road in Windhoek and at several other places around the country.Some of the letter writers also used the opportunity to criticise the fence that had been placed on the dune side of the road to regulate activities on the dune belt.”I say: do away with all those fences,” said one who argued that the conservation of the Damara Tern had become more important than human life.”These pillars have claimed the first death at Vierkantklip,” said one letter writer.Victor Fourie died and his passenger Vicky Olivier was seriously injured when their motorbike left the road in the Vierkantklip area on Sunday, July 3.Most of the letter writers argue that the pillars have been placed too close to the road, making it a safety hazard.”If they have been put there for safety reasons, take them out and put a permanent traffic cop on the road instead,” said one irate resident.Another said:”Can somebody please take these ugly things out before more people die?” People are also asking why the public were not informed of the purpose of the pillars.The Namibian established that the pillars were placed by a contractor on behalf of the Roads Authority.A total of 4 500 pillars were put up at Usakos, Nonidas and outside Swakopmund on the road to Walvis Bay.The main purpose of the pillars is to regulate traffic in order to make the road safer.An official at the RA said the pillars were placed on the road because of “public demand”.He said his office had received hundreds of calls for help from the public to do something about these specific roads.”Walvis Bay has also requested help.”On the Swakopmund-Walvis Bay road the main danger were vehicles and quad bikes driving onto the road from the beach.At Nonidas trucks that were loading gravel would drive onto the main road, instead of using a service road.Fanie Kruger, Chief Traffic Officer of the Swakopmund Municipality, also said the pillars were placed in consultation with the traffic department.Both the officials said the pillars would not pose a danger if people adhered to the 80 km speed limit applicable at the specific stretch of road near Vierkantklip.They said a vehicle travelling at 80 km/h and leaving the road would not necessarily hit the pillars.”There will be no danger if people remain within the rules and regulations,” said Kruger.The pillars were placed at the end of the road shoulder, which is between two to three metres from the tar road, according to the official.The official pointed out that the same pillars had been placed on the Western Bypass road in Windhoek and at several other places around the country.Some of the letter writers also used the opportunity to criticise the fence that had been placed on the dune side of the road to regulate activities on the dune belt.”I say: do away with all those fences,” said one who argued that the conservation of the Damara Tern had become more important than human life.