VIC > Gippsland Locals urged to have a say on speed limits

Locals urged to have a say on speed limits
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12 Sep, 2011 02:05 PM
GIPPSLANDERS have been invited to have their say on what they believe are confusing or dangerous stretches of road where speed limit changes are required.
Gippsland East MLA Tim Bull said anyone who felt there were too many speed changes on a street, or believed they had a solution to make limits easier to understand should make a submission.

“In recent months both Federal colleague Darren Chester and I have had discussion with a number of residents in Stratford Maffra, Genoa, Bruthen, and Sarsfield who have raised various concerns with speed limit zones and the forum is now in place for them to have their say,” he said.

“It is important that speed limits provide a balance between safety and mobility, with consideration given to both traffic and pedestrians.

However, when too many speed limit signs and zones occur on short sections of our road network, this results not only in driver frustration and confusion, but potentially hazardous for drivers distracted between monitoring speed signs and car gauges.”

Gippsland MHR Darren Chester also said he had been contacted by local residents regarding speed limits at several road locations in Gippsland.

“Local motorists are telling me that they are frustrated and confused when travelling on certain stretches of road where there are several changes in the speed limit within a short distance,” he said.

“To achieve the highest levels of road safety we need to have consistent and appropriate speed limits across the whole road network,” he said.

The State Government requested VicRoads undertake the review with a view to investigating ways in which speed limits could be applied more consistently across the state and easier for drivers to adhere to.

The review of speed limits will investigate: Routes with large numbers of speed zone changes; opportunities to reduce the number of speed limit changes; and school speed zones, including lay-out and location, remote crossings, times of operation, days of operation, strip shopping centre times, speed limits in town centres, use and application of advisory speed limits, minimum length of speed zones and consistency of speed limits under similar conditions.

People interested in making a submission can check the specific terms of reference on the VicRoads website www.vicroads.vic.gov.au

Submiss ions are open until October 11 and can be sent to speedreview@roads.vic.gov.au or mailed to Speed Limit Review, 60 Denmark St, Kew, Victoria, 3101.

VicRoads will complete the review by December and present the findings to the government.