Seven Perth councils will be spending the next three years rolling out safer speed limits on local roads via a $2 million funding package aimed at reducing the risk of serious crashes.
The Perth Inner-City Group has secured the funding for its inner-city safe speed zone project, which will bring together the cities of Perth, Vincent, South Perth, Subiaco and Nedlands, along with the towns of Victoria Park and Cambridge.
The push to expand 40km/h speed zones across Perth’s inner-city suburbs will begin in Vincent.
The project, which will be rolled out over three years, combines speed limit changes with community education, awareness campaigns and research to measure their impact.
Perth Inner-City Group spokesperson and Vincent CEO David MacLennan said reducing speed limits from 50km/h to 40km/h could make a significant difference in crashes.
“Local roads are more than a way to get from A to B. They are where people live, walk their dogs, ride to school, visit local businesses and spend time with family and friends,” he said.
“Reducing speeds from 50km/h to 40km/h can make a real difference when a crash occurs, particularly for people walking or riding who are more vulnerable to serious injury.”
According to PICG research, a pedestrian or cyclist has a 60 per cent chance of surviving a crash with a vehicle travelling at 40km/h, compared to a 20 per cent chance when a vehicle is travelling at 50km/h.
The initiative will build on Vincent’s previous experience, with the council having already trialled and introduced a 40km/h limit across its local road network between 2018 and 2023.
The other participating councils will now engage with their own communities as the project progresses, with the rollout to be staged rather than introduced across all seven areas at once.
Mr MacLennan said a co-ordinated approach would enable councils to share lessons and create safer streets across their boundaries.
“By working together, we can take a more co-ordinated approach across the Perth inner city to safer speeds, share what works and help create neighbourhoods where people can connect and thrive,” he said.
“This project is about more than changing speed limits. It is about building awareness, encouraging safer driving behaviour and working with our communities to make local streets safer.”
The $2.285m funding comprises $1.06m from the State Government through the Road Safety Commission, and $968,500 from the Federal Government’s safer local roads and infrastructure program.
Evidence from both Vincent and other Australian and international locations indicates that lower speeds on local roads have no material impact on overall travel times.
Last year, Vincent mayor Alison Xamon went to a national assembly of local governments to propose a default speed limit on residential roads to be cut 50km/h to 40km/h, but it was unsuccessful.