Petition calling for a safer Symonds Street hits 1000 signatures

A University of Auckland (UoA) student’s petition calling for the 30km/h speed limit on Symonds Street to be better enforced hit 1000 signatures on Sunday.

The petition was created on 4 April, less than a fortnight after the crash that left UoA professor Dr Vinod Suresh critically injured.

Creator of the petition and Craccum managing editor Lewis Creed says the crash was a call to action for him and others at the student magazine.

“We felt the best way to make a real difference was to use our platform to start a petition to at least try to make our campus safer and help prevent similar accidents from ever happening again.

“It's more than just a one-off tragic accident; Symonds Street poses a constant health and safety hazard running through the heart of our campuses.”

In 2020, Stuff reported on a transport engineer who found that within a half hour period 95 per cent of cars on the street exceeded the speed limit.

To improve pedestrian safety near the universities, Creed has suggested better and more visible signs, bollards, raised pedestrian crossings and speed cameras.

Many of his suggestions are inspired by advice and expertise received after he posted the petition, which he says helped make the campaign about overall safety, not just speed.

Creed says he asked AUT’s student association (AUTSA) to join the campaign but is yet to receive a response. He believes AUT’s support is critical and would double the weight of the movement.

Neither AUT nor AUTSA responded to requests for comment.

Creed and others behind the petition are meeting with representatives from Auckland Transport (AT) and Auckland Council over the next two weeks.

“After we have met with AT and the council about the petition, we will ask the University of Auckland to get behind the petition and the safety measures we are requesting.

“If some organisations from AUT decide to join us in our campaign, we will then plan our next moves with them in mind before presenting the petition officially to Auckland Transport.

“We plan to have this campaign wrapped up by the end of the semester, as we want to strike while the iron is hot on this issue.”

In a statement, an AT spokesperson said, “Auckland Transport is investigating the Symonds Street corridor between Karangahape Road and Grafton Road.

“Our aim is to understand the current issues along Symonds Street including the area around AUT, and this investigation is at the very initial stage.

“AT would be happy to meet with the organisers of the petition, but until we have met with them to understand their concerns and suggestions, we won't be able to comment further.”