Perth Voice Interactive

ALL of Vincent’s neighbourhood roads will drop to 40kmh following trials in select spots across the city.

Mayor Emma Cole announced the speed drop at her final council meeting on October 17, saying “Main Roads has given us the green light to go 40kmh on all of our local neighbourhood roads,” while distributor roads and main corridors won’t be affected.

“That is something that this council and previous councillors have worked towards for many, many years and to have that news from Main Roads is really fantastic,” Ms Cole said.

The council first trialed a 40kmh limit in southern Vincent in 2019.

It had pretty modest results: average speeds dropped by about 1kmh (Voice, February 25, 2023), but a majority of survey respondents supported speed reductions and in February 2023 councillors resolved to expand the slow-down.

Ms Cole said in a statement issued a day after the meeting: “Over many years, our inner-city community has been asking us to slow down speeds and reduce rat running in our residential neighbourhoods. 

“I have consistently been told that 50kmh on our local streets just feels too fast.

“This change will make it safer for our kids to walk and cycle to school or their local park, and our streets will feel more comfortable.

“We know from our trial that slower speeds encourage more walking and cycling for short trips.”

Perth MP John Carey, who’d been mayor back when Vincent first started its slower speed campaign, told the Voice this week: “When I doorknock, which is most weekends, one of the key issues people raise is about speeding cars on local roads and how it affects amenity and liveability. 

“So I think this is brilliant; we are in a far more built up area close to the city, so reducing the speed to 40k is a great step.

“My view is any move to reduce the speed in built up areas is a good thing. I understand others want further reductions, but I’m pragmatic about this; this is a good move and it’s about trying to create that slower speed culture on our local roads.”

The speed limit becomes official once the speed limit signs are in place, and Main Roads is due to start works by the end of 2023 and expects to be complete by mid-2024.

by DAVID BELL