Borrowdale residents engage insurance companies to adopt traffic lights

Diana Nherera Suburban Reporter

Borrowdale residents are planning to engage insurance companies to adopt and maintain some traffic lights in the neighbourhood as nearly 100 accidents have been recorded in the area in the past six months due to non-functional traffic lights.

Speaking at a Greendale Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) meeting held at week, former Harare East member of Parliament, Mr Allan Markham said there are traffic lights that have not been working for six months in the suburb.

These include the ones at the Liberation Legacy Way (formerly Borrowdale Road) and Whitwell intersection and at the Addington Lane and Ridgeway Road intersection.

“The number of road accidents, I think have passed the 100 mark in six months.

“What we are trying to do as residents sounds ironic and stupid. We are trying to get insurance companies to adopt a set of robots.

“And we have got our first bit to do at Dandaro because of the old people, that’s what we are trying to do. The trouble with robots is when they go on and off, on and off, the switch gear or something burns out and costs an arm and a leg and it takes seven years to get here,” said Mr Markham.

Mr Maxwell Sauramba, the City of Harare superintendent (roads department) said a traffic light costs US$3 000.

Greendale residents told the meeting that the traffic light at the corner of Court Road and Arcturus Road has not been working for the past five years.

Mr Sauramba explained the issue behind the traffic light at Court Road and Arcturus Road.

“Our controller was knocked down like what the Honourable (MP) was saying. We have to import the parts and it costs about US$5 000,” he said.

A resident questioned why the city has put new traffic lights along Harare Drive.

Mr Sauramba said: “What happens in council is our funding comes from either maintenance or capital (budgets). So you can’t use capital funds to maintain an existing robot. Those are new signals.”