Millions warned over push to reduce suburban speed limits to 30km/h

Yahoo

04-03-2025

Speed limits could be slashed to just 30 kilometres an hour in areas commonly visited by children before being more broadly rolled out to a majority of suburban streets, under a new proposition aimed at increasing safety for both drivers and pedestrians for millions of Aussies.
Infrastructure Victoria — the independent advisory body that provides advice and guidance on infrastructure planning, strategy, and investment in the state — will on Tuesday hand down its 50 priorities for the government to meet housing, transport and health needs for its rising population.
Among them, it has suggested speed limits in areas frequently attended by kids should be reduced to 30 km/h, citing the fact that seven children die on Victorian roads each year, in addition to the approximately 300 that are seriously injured — mostly on local streets with 50km/h speed limits.
Infrastructure Victoria chief executive Dr Jonathan Spear cited the fact that a pedestrian struck by a car traveling at 50km/h has an 85 per cent chance of dying. However, at 30km/h, the risk drops to 10 per cent, he said.
Under the proposal, the reduction would first take place at school zones before being more widely rolled out, also turning suburban streets into 30km/h zones.
It's a push that road safety experts have also called for in many other parts of the country, particularly on regional roads where default limits remain comparatively, significantly higher than in other parts of the world. In many local government areas around Australia, including in Victoria, councils have already adopted reduced speed limits to protect residents.
In Melbourne, the City of Yarra, for example, rolled out a trial of 30km/h zones across local streets — excluding major arterial roads — in Fitzroy and Collingwood last year. Local government areas in other major cities including Sydney, Adelaide and the Gold Coast have also introduced similar limits, with more dabbling in the idea or actively in consultation phases.
Dr Spear argued that reducing speeds from 50 to 30km/h on local streets has a minimal impact on travel time but can "significantly" reduce fatalities and serious injuries.
According to Transport Accident Commission data, 48 pedestrians and 12 cyclists lost their lives in road accidents in the state last year.
Older Victorians face a higher risk of fatal traffic accidents — a statistic mirrored around the country — while road trauma remains a leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 14.
Infrastructure Victoria's draft strategy states that work on 43 recommendations should commence within five years. It also outlines seven longer-term "future options".
RELATED: Older drivers 'exposed' on Aussie roads amid major shift
Infrastructure Victoria recommended the government collaborate with councils to implement the change on all streets with speed limits of 50km/h or lower. It called for a start first in areas near schools, playgrounds, childcare centres, and kindergartens, which Spear said are often close to residential areas.
Infrastructure Victoria estimated the cost of reducing speed limits would be between $35 and $45 million. This would involve installing new signage, while the government could further enhance the benefits by improving footpaths and adding crossings, the advisory body suggested.
Renewed calls for major road rule change that could affect millions
Aussie town makes major speed limit change in growing national trend
Millions of drivers face major road rule change: 'No longer viable'
Dr Lauren Pearson, from the Sustainable Mobility and Safety Research Group at Melbourne's Monash University has already backed the push, dubbing it "the most cost-effective interventions we can use to enhance the safety and liveability of local streets".
She pointed to cities overseas that had big success by doing the same thing.
"We have seen the effect of these speed zones in places such as Wales, Canada, Scotland, Colombia and across Europe," she said.
"In Toronto, Canada, there was a 67 per cent reduction in serious injuries following implementation of 30 km/h speed zones. Similarly in London, fatal and serious injuries dropped by 46 per cent in areas with 30 km/h speeds, with a further 8 per cent reduction in adjacent areas.
"Yet, here in Australia, we're well behind."
Governments are facing mounting pressure to take bold action to reduce road fatalities in Australia, as new data reveals the death toll has been rising in recent years at a pace not seen since 1966.
Research conducted by the the federal Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) showed 1,300 people died on Australian roads in 2024 — up from 1,258 in 2023.
It's reflective of a four-year period of surging deaths our roads, which has not occurred since before seatbelts were made mandatory in the '60s. A total of 359 people died in the three months to the end of December last year.
This grim statistic made 2024 the deadliest year on Australian roads since 2012, which also recorded 1,300 fatalities. The data further revealed that last year's road toll was 18.5 per cent higher than in 2021, the year a 10-year plan to halve road deaths was launched.
Do you have a story tip? Email: [e-mail].
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.