Goya Dmytryshchak
By Goya Dmytryshchak
Speed limits will be cut to 40km/h on most council-owned local roads in Footscray, Kingsville and Yarraville by June.
It follows the implementation of lower speed limits in Seddon and parts of Yarraville early last year.
Reduced speed limits will be rolled out across all remaining suburbs across the city of Maribyrnong over the next three years.
Mayor Sarah Carter said the speed reduction was aimed at making local streets safer.
“By reducing the speed limits on our local roads we are seeking to keep our community safe – drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike,” she said.
“All have a right to feel safe when using our roads and this initiative will deliver greater active transport outcomes for our city.”
Maribyrnong council began the move to lower speed limits in October 2017 after conducting local area traffic management studies in suburbs across the municipality.
It was guided by findings from the Safer Local Roads report pointing to feedback suggesting that three in four residents felt unsafe walking or cycling in local streets because of the speed of cars.
The council also cited a recent study by the Curtin-Monash Accident Research Centre, which found that by reducing speed from 50km/hour to 40km/hour the chance of fatal injury for pedestrians and cyclists fell from 80 per cent to 26 per cent.
Speed limits will remain unchanged on major VicRoads’ arterials, including Ballarat, Geelong, Somerville and Williamstown roads.
Existing limits will also remain in Buckley, Francis, Gordon, Hopkins, Moore, Napier and Whitehall streets.
Works are expected to take up to eight weeks.
