Two suburbs will see the speed limits on multiple roads reduced from 50km/h to 40km/h to protect pedestrians and students.
Willoughby and Ryde in Sydney’s north are reducing speed limits on some roads due to high pedestrian traffic and the extension of certain school zones as of July 27.
The limits will reduce from 50km/h within two weeks on all roads surrounding the North Shore Hospital in St Leonards, where the council says that doing so will make pedestrians safer.
These streets include Herbert Street, Frederick Street, Westbourne Street and Reserve Road (south).
Two suburbs will see the speed limits on multiple roads reduced from 50km/h to 40km/h to protect pedestrians and students
Willoughby and Ryde in Sydney’s north are reducing speed limits on some roads due to high pedestrian traffic and the extension of certain school zones as of July 27
The reduction of speed on roads in St Leonards will also affect private thoroughfares and those within hospital grounds.
Other traffic changes have also been announced for the area, which have been developed in accordance with Transport for NSW ‘High Pedestrian Activity Areas’ guidelines.
‘This speed limit change introduces a High Pedestrian Activity Area in the town centre to provide a more pedestrian friendly environment,’ Transport for NSW said.
Added changes include gateways, traffic calming devices, and a new pedestrian crossing facility.
Reactions to the new speed limits have been mixed, with some slamming the nanny state they see imposed on their roads.
‘Tell all the vehicle manufacturers to set top speed no more than 15km/h,’ one person wrote on social media.
‘Maybe we should just not drive any more,’ another added.
Most saw the move as a revenue raising scheme that the government will use to slog more fines on drivers.
‘$$$$ ka-ching,’ a simple comment online read in response to the announcement.
‘More income for the government… mad,’ a fourth said.
New limits in the area will be a welcome addition in keeping the community safe, Willoughby City Mayor Tanya Taylor said in a statement which endorsed the move.
‘The precinct is a busy hub of activity generating significant pedestrian movement from the Transport Interchange, Royal North Shore Hospital, adjacent residential blocks, Gore Hill Oval and St Leonards TAFE NSW,’ Cr Taylor said.
‘The changes will alert drivers to the lower speed limit and make them aware of the presence of pedestrians.’
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Extended school zones will be the primary driver of reducing the limits in West Ryde and neighbouring Meadowbank.
A notice in the area was posted explaining the change to locals.
‘The existing school zone will be extended to improve safety of students using the pedestrian access point,’ the notice reads.
The limits will reduce from 50km per hour within two weeks on all roads surrounding the North Shore Hospital in St Leonards
Other traffic changes have also been announced for the area, which have been developed in accordance with Transport for NSW ‘High Pedestrian Activity Areas’ guidelines
This continues a trend which has swept across the city, which has had numerous speed reductions on roads and highways.
Liverpool-Parramatta Transit Way recently took an extreme cut to its speed limit, which was reduced from 70km per hour to 50km per hour in late June.
Two weeks prior, the entire CBD’s speed limit was finally reduced to 40km per hour, which had been a contentious topic among locals since March when it was first announced.
The council said at the time that the move would slash deaths and injuries on roads and that they intended to work with NSW state government to have it enforced.
However, then-premier Dominic Perrottet dismissed the idea as ‘ridiculous’.
‘We have to speed up our city, not slow it down,’ he told a frustrated caller to 2GB’s Ben Fordham.
‘I understand you need to provide safety but to have a blanketed approach is ridiculous. We are a global city we can’t slow it down.’
Listeners agreed with him. ‘It’s infuriating. Forty kilometres an hour is a ridiculous speed for modern vehicles,’ caller Jeff said.
‘Virtually every car that’s built now has got ABS brakes so they don’t skid, they’ve got good steering, they’ve got good tyres, there’s absolutely no reason for it.’
He said the problems are mostly caused by people walking around the city centre.
‘Pedestrians are the worst breakers of the law you could find. They run across the road on Don’t Walk signs, let alone flashing Don’t Walk signs, where’s the onus on them to take responsibility?
Others mused during the debate that achieving a speed over 40km per hour in the CBD would be a pipe dream anyway.
‘All this outrage about City of Sydney wanting to change the speed limit in the CBD from 40km/h. If you think you’re going to be driving more than 40 in that traffic you’re dreaming,’ Thomas Nguyen wrote on social media.
Speed limits have reduced across metropolis parts of the city in an attempt to save lives and create safe environments for pedestrians
