Perth Voice Interactive

THE City of Vincent is aiming to further decrease speed limits on its neighbourhood streets to 30kmh.

Vincent introduced a shift from 50kmh to 40kmh on neighbourhood streets almost seven months ago, but CEO David MacLennan says this could be just the beginning.

“In the medium to longer term, we’ll be aiming to reduce the vehicle speeds down to 30kmh once we’ve embedded 40kmh,” said Mr Maclennan.

“Thirty is the ideal speed for a car in a residential street.”

Despite hoping for 30kmh, Mr Maclennan is pleased with the decrease from 50kmh to 40kmh.

“The primary benefit is around road safety and improving the actual perceived safety of our streets – for our residents and for their kids.

“This initiative was led by our community, who were asking us to do something about vehicle speeds in their streets. 

“It’s a great demonstration of community leadership and a local government responding to their community.”

Mr Maclennan said dropping the speed limit was just one element of the City’s overarching transport strategy./

He says it would up-end the current hierarchy on quiet residential streets, with “pedestrians, cyclists and vulnerable users,” to be prioritised over cars.

Mr Maclennan is set to discuss the change of the speed limit, the reasons for it and its future implications as a key speaker at the National Roads Safety Week seminar hosted by WestCycle at the council’s admin building on May 9.

Westcycle supports Mr Maclennan’s hopes for slower roads.

CEO Wayne Bradshaw said in a recent statement, “the data backs 30kmh, but 40kmh is a welcome step in the right direction”.

The seminar, which starts at 11am, is free, but registration is required via https://tinyurl.com/westcycle2024NRSWseminar 

by TOBY CANN