Push for 40km/h city speed limit

MAIN Roads WA is in discussions with the City of Perth about introducing 40km/h speed limits in the CBD as part of a push to boost pedestrian safety.

The move follows a new trial by Main Roads to cut speeds to 40km/h along the Vincent stretch of Beaufort Street from Walcott to Lincoln streets during peak times.

Main Roads traffic operations manager Craig Wooldridge said results of the trial would determine the suitability of establishing more 40km/h zones throughout Perth.

He said significant international research undertaken by Main Roads showed small speed reductions could result in fewer deaths and serious injuries for pedestrians.

But Mr Wooldridge said not all areas were conducive to such speed reductions and appropriate roads needed significant pedestrian traffic and crash history.

“The impact on adjoining local roads and suitable alternative routes also needs to be considered,” he said.

The Beaufort Street trial will run for 18 months.

Main Roads has already established 40km/h zones on the majority of roads adjacent to schools, as well as some Local Area Traffic Management schemes on local roads.

What everyone else is thinking

Kevin Forbes

24/06/2009

Lets start practising a bit of common sense about these matters.Each of us has the opportunity to be reponsible for ourselves-and the majority of people I know do just that.For those that cannot take responsibilty for themselves I am not convinced that we should be penalised for their being inadequate in this regard. Let us begin to teach people to be responsible for themsleves.50kph is slow enough

Wesley

23/06/2009

Why stop at 40? Let's lower it to 30, hey why not 20? In fact let's get out the red flags and we can have a person waving a red flag in front of each vehicle as it trundles along at walking pace.

Dragon

Do I detect a trend here people? at last a bit of uncommon sense, Roads = Cars......footpaths = Pedestrians, cross at the lights & everyone is safe.
If we keep reducing speed limits we are all going to be walking or driving backwards soon. The idea of a motor vehicle is to get somewhere faster than walking or on a horse.
In all fairness if we reduce speed limits in inner city & residential areas, wouldn't it make sanse to raise them in less populated areas so that we can make up for lost time dawdling along. Cars are getting safer, roads are getting better.
I drove to Kalbarri recently & 110 is pretty lame on roads of such good quality, but very frustraiting at having to slow down for all those caravans especially for the trucks who can't really over take easily.
Why not invest some of the multinova revenue into duel carriage ways, now that would help the road toll.

Karl

I do agree with dropping the speed limit in the Perth CBD, there are so many deaths in the city. Just last week I lost 5 people.

Can someone send some Oxygen Bottles to the Main Roads Offices, there appears to be a defficiency of Oxygen there at the moment.

It appears that the best way, in Main Road's opinion, to fix a 'problem' is by fixing a Symptom. Simple law of the road. Pedestrian + Car = Death, therefore Pedestrian MUST gve way to Car. My Mum taught me that when I was 3.

Seriously????

don

Pedestrians should be banned. Inconsiderate twits.

All space between buildings should be flattened and covered with bitumen so I can drive 100km/h from home to Hungry Jacks, then to work, then to KFC and be home at 5:30 so I can sit my fat ass in front of the TV and watch crap till midnight, all the while shovelling more crap down my throat until I fall asleep. Screw getting up and walking to bed, if I cant drive there its never going to happen.

Hugh Hyland

In the early 1960s built up speed limits in Australia were raised from the British 30MPH (48KPH) to the American 35MPH (56KPH), then raised again to 60KPH with metrication in 1975. Britain and NZ stayed with 50KPH, without school zones. America introduced 25MPH (40KPH) school zones. Had Australia kept to 50KPH then there would have been significantly fewer injuries and deaths.

There is often confusion regarding when a school zone is operating. I would also ask why various schools do not have 40KPH limits past them. These are both safety concerns.

Another problem in WA is knowing what the speed limit is on different roads. Unlike NSW the signage here is woefully lacking. The cost of signs is minimal, yet their impact is substantial.

simon

Why not go the full knee jerk reaction and just ban cars altogether.

When are we going to stop punishing everyone but the people who cause the problems. If you're too stupid to cross at one of the many sets of traffic lights or pedestrian crossing then maybe being hit by a car is a good wake up call.

Lynne Rainbow

I thought roads were supposed to be for motor vehicles not pedestrian.
Why can't pedestrian's learn how to cross a road at a pedestrian crossing. The emphasis should be on keeping traffic moving at a reasonable speed at least 60km/h not encouraging road rage. No wonder road rage is increasing. Who ever thought that the primary users of roads should be pedestrians. Utterly ridiculous!!

Michael Rodrigues

Lowering speed limits in the city will not increase pedestria safety. Stop the jay walking and introduce fines for crossing against do not walk signals will prevent pedestrians getting run over. Speeds in the city are often lower than 40KMPH due to traffic congestion. Travelling at 20KMPH I have often had to stop for pedestrians crossing at traffic signals against the do not walk signs.

Dennis Ford

How about educating the pedestrians as we were educated when we were kids. If we have to go any slower we will be booked for parking. Why are the authorities always ready to blame speed? Check the pedestrian stupidity in most cases and indeed the stupidity of drivers in others. Bad drivers are still bad drivers at 40 kph. Monitor and check the ability of driving teachers (relations etc) as they are responsible for passing on bad habits to the kids and those we teach. Then check the ability of those who issue licenses......DON'T ALWAYS BLAME SPEED. That is the "simple" way out.