WA Reduces Speed Limits. By up to 50km/hr. !!!!!

[csv8]

"Speed limits across Perth have been slashed up to 50km/h as part of a continuing review aimed at making roads safer.
The West Australian can reveal that speed limits on 25 roads have changed over the past 18 months. Of those, 20 have had their speed limits cut.
The biggest changes were in Perth’s outer eastern suburbs. A section of Karbro Drive in Cardup had its 110km/h default speed limit reduced to 60km/h. The speed limits on sections of Barrett Street in Southern River and Pickering Brook Road were reduced from the 110km/h default to 70km/h.
The biggest speed limit increase was in Baldivis, where the stretch of Nairn Drive between Wise Meander and Ridge Boulevard was increased from 50km/h to 70km/h.
“Speed limits across the network are continually assessed to ensure that all WA roads continue to meet driver expectations whilst also achieving a balance between traffic safety, land use amenity and transport efficiency,” a Main Roads spokeswoman said. “Many factors are taken into account during the speed zoning process including the road function, traffic volumes, types of road users, abutting roadside development, the frequency and type of intersections, reported crash data and prevailing traffic speeds.

“The recent changes were implemented because the existing speed zones were no longer considered appropriate for the road environment.”
Main Roads has a detailed set of regulations governing speed limits. But in 2011, then-premier Colin Barnett admitted some speed limits “do not make sense”.
“When I drive on country roads, which I do regularly, I am dismayed at the number of changes in the speed limit,” he said. “For example, it can go from 70km/h to 110km/h back to 80km/h. It makes no sense.”
At the time, a RAC survey of members revealed motorists were often confused by speed limit changes (87 per cent) and unsure of what speed zones they were travelling in (80 per cent in the metropolitan area and 60 per cent on country roads).
Yesterday, RAC general manager corporate affairs Will Golsby said ensuring speed limits reflected road conditions was a vital part of the road safety mix.
“We support and encourage regular reviews of speed limits across all road networks, particularly in areas that have experienced a change in conditions,” he said.
In 2016, most of the significant speed limit changes in the metropolitan area were the creation of more 40km/h zones in areas with “increased pedestrian and traffic movements” often caused by new high-density apartments.
NEW SPEED ZONES
- Berrigan Drive Jandakot: 70km/h to 60km/h between Pilatus Street and Karel Avenue.
- Connolly Drive, Currambine: 60km/h to 70km/h between Neerabup Road and Lukin Drive.
- Indian Ocean Drive: 110km/h to 100km/h between Breakwater Drive and Lancelin Road.
- Lord Street, Dayton: 80km/h to 70km/h between Reid Highway and Harrow Street.
- Daviot Road, Caversham: 80km/h to 70km/h between Reid Highway and Suffolk Street.
- Erindale Road, Hamersley: 70km/h to 60km/h between Balcatta and Beach roads.
- Two Rocks Road, Yanchep: 60km from 90km/h north of Zamia Rise.
- Scotthorn Drive, Alkimos: 40km/h school zone between McGriffen and Brainbridge avenues.
- Wray Avenue, Fremantle: 50km/h to 40km/h between South Terrace and Manning Street
- Perth Airport precinct: 70km/h to 80km/h on Airport Drive northbound between Tonkin Highway and Paltridge Road, on Leach Highway between Abernethy Road and Airport Drive and westbound on Tonkin Highway between Kewdale Road and Airport Drive.
- Farrall Road, Middle Swan: 80km/h to 60km/h between Morrison and O’Connor roads.
- Helena Valley Road, Helena Valley: 70km/h to 60km/h between Midland Road and Allamanda Gate/Drummond Gardens and between Lakeside Gardens and Scott Street.
- Karbro Drive, Cardup: 110km/h to 60km/h between Hopkinson and Soldiers roads.
- South Western Highway, Byford: 80km/h to 60km/h between Nettleton and Cardup Siding roads.
- Barrett Street, Southern River: 110km/h to 70km/h between Balfour and Lakey streets.
- Gilmore Avenue, Kwinana: 70km/h to 60km/h between Berthold Stfreet and Wellard Road.
- Johnson Road, Bertram: 70km/h to 60km/h between Bertram and Millar roads.
- Walcott Street, Mt Lawley: 60km/h to 40km/h between Field and Roy streets.
- Scarborough Beach Road, Mt Hawthorn: 60km/h to 50km between Eucla and Buxton streets and to 40km/h between Buxton and Oxford streets.
- Willmott Drive, Cooloongup: 50km/h to 60km/h between Read Street and Ennis Avenue.
- South Beach Village: 50km/h reduced to 40km/h on many roads.
- Quill Way, Henderson: 50km/h to 60km/h.
- Southern River Road, Huntingdale: 80km/h to 60km between Gay and Holmes streets.
- Pickering Brook Road, Pickering Brook: 110km/h to 70km/h from Kings Mill Road.
- Nairn Drive, Baldivis: 50km/h to 70km/h between Wise Meander and Ridge Boulevard."
https://thewest.com.au/news/perth/sp...-ng-b88751788z

My comment : Revenue raising disguised as road safety,

[d@rk51d3]

They're trying to reduce speeds through intersections down to 30km/h over here.

Bunch of chin dribbling window lickers.

[OzJavelin]

Trying to claw back state revenue lost with mining downturn ...

Will bring in Victorian government as experts on how to extract $$$ from motorist by lowered speed limits, finer tolerances for speeding and massive deployment of speed cameras.

[commodorenutt]

Most of the list is 10km/h increases or reductions.
A handful of 20km/h changes.

And ONE change from 110>60.

You should write for ACA......

[Trump]

Absolutely pathetic.

The worst part is, the people that make these decisions aren't accountable to anyone. The red or blue clowns can be voted out, but not these hacks.

[stig_3754]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

Most of the list is 10km/h increases or reductions.
A handful of 20km/h changes.

And ONE change from 110>60.

You should write for ACA......

Was thinking the same. This is also over a period of 18 months. Plenty of time to make changes.

[stefcio007]

If you're not sitting at the optimal gear for the speed you're increasing pollution. Most cars aren't designed to go 30km/h most of the time.

Electric cars won't have this problem so we might see more of them. The only thing combustible engines can do it add more gears. We already have consumer vehicles with 10-speed gearboxes.

On the fines issue, self-driving cars will reduce revenue drastically. Even a simple system that just reads road signs and auto applies a speed limiter will do the trick.
You know it's coming.

[solarite_guy]

Originally Posted by stefcio007

On the fines issue, self-driving cars will reduce revenue drastically.

New fines will be implemented for things like too much RF and ozone emissions, too much electrical consumption, watching porn in a school zone, not enough passengers during rush hour, missing scheduled maintenance visits, etc.

[NX74205]

Did you guys bother to check on Google Maps? If anyone says that Karbro Drive is a suitable 110km/h zone, you need your head checked.

[Ben73]

NSW has a habit of doing major roadworks on a stretch of road making the road 100 times safer, but once the work has finished they drop the limit by 10-20km/h.
Safest the road has ever been but now it has a lower limit.
Interesting that the HP start to hang out in these locations everyday for 6 months after the limit drops but you wont catch them there when the limit was higher and the road was in a more dangerous condition.

Originally Posted by d@rk51d3

They're trying to reduce speeds through intersections down to 30km/h over here.

Bunch of chin dribbling window lickers.

Crazy. I have heard SA school speed limits are 25km/h all day every day. That's unbelievable, I think our 40km/h speed limits at school are fine 99% of the time.
For every 10 times I drive in an active school zone I probably have 1 time where school kids are around.
I have no problem with slowing in school zones, but 25 seams excessive most of the time.

[Brodes]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Crazy. I have heard SA school speed limits are 25km/h all day every day.

When children present.

https://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/__data/as...strictions.pdf

That's unbelievable, I think our 40km/h speed limits at school are fine 99% of the time.
For every 10 times I drive in an active school zone I probably have 1 time where school kids are around.
I have no problem with slowing in school zones, but 25 seams excessive most of the time.

Usually only a short length of road, doesn't bother me.

[lra]

Originally Posted by NX74205

Did you guys bother to check on Google Maps? If anyone says that Karbro Drive is a suitable 110km/h zone, you need your head checked.

I just looked at google maps. 110km would be OK if the road was wider, did not have the chicanes, and no houses and garbage bins.
Apart from those minor problems, all would be good for current limit.

[d@rk51d3]

Originally Posted by Brodes

When children present.

https://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/__data/as...strictions.pdf

I drop to 25 for any pedestrian in a school zone. Can't be too careful. Had a few surprises on occasion.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Crazy. I have heard SA school speed limits are 25km/h all day every day. That's unbelievable, I think our 40km/h speed limits at school are fine 99% of the time.
For every 10 times I drive in an active school zone I probably have 1 time where school kids are around.
I have no problem with slowing in school zones, but 25 seams excessive most of the time.

That's not as bad as it sounds, what was in force before was timed school zones which were different for every school!
Now we have 2-
25 when children present
25 when (crossing) lights flashing
I live near a school with the first one and in 5 years I've had to slow down outside of school times only twice, and I've never seen a cop there.

[roddy1960]

I actually work at a rural District Area School K-12 with about 420 students . Our speed limit is 40 kmh over a total distance of about 350 metres at a guess. Pretty easy because the 9th fairway at the golf course runs immediately adjacent to it and it's near as dammit the same length as the 344 metre par 4.

The school drive from the Main Road is about 300 metres long to the car park and the speed limit is 25 kmh. Several speed bumps make sure that is only exceeded very uncomfortably.. Flashing lights on the Main Road bit gives everyone due warning to slow down both morning and afternoon drop off and pick up brackets . In between during the day 60 kmh reducing to 50 kmh is in force.

all seems pretty sensible and safe to me .

[arronm]

At least in WA we get to travel at 110kph..

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

Trying to claw back state revenue lost with mining downturn ....

Why do people hear Western Australia then need to make an uninformed mining comment?

[My32Doors]

Originally Posted by arronm

At least in WA we get to travel at 110kph..

At least where I live we get to travel at 130 km/h

[arronm]

I thought it was unlimited...

[happy1]

In France the speed limit on the main freeways is 130, but when wet or foggy the limit drops to 100. It's a good idea really. The speed signs have an additional wet limit sign below them.

However in France you usually don't get pulled over until you exceed the limit by more than 25ish, (so you can put a brick on the throttle on your Peugeot or Citroen 1.4 and cross the country until your fuel tank runs out, and be fine.. lol )

In Norway the speed limits have been reduced from 90 to 70 over long distances, and many places a solid barrier has been installed between the opposing lanes to avoid head on collisions. It's really annoying to be trapped behind a car doing 60 in the 70 zone like that, and I think it makes drivers fall asleep. But the barriers between lanes and soft shoulders (rather than trees or sharp rocks) have reduced the number of fatal accidents on the narrow roads.

In WA there are so many trees that makes accidents fatal if a vehicle goes off the road. Tree vs. car is never going to give a good outcome, and there should be soft shoulders with sand / gravel traps, but that will cost a lot to construct.

Cheers,

[roKWiz]

[QUOTE=Ben73;6093047]NSW has a habit of doing major roadworks on a stretch of road making the road 100 times safer, but once the work has finished they drop the limit by 10-20km/h.
Safest the road has ever been but now it has a lower limit.
Interesting that the HP start to hang out in these locations everyday for 6 months after the limit drops but you wont catch them there when the limit was higher and the road was in a more dangerous condition. QUOTE]

Joll's bridge is a good example.

[My32Doors]

Originally Posted by arronm

I thought it was unlimited...

Labor government reduced it back to 130 after they won the last election.

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by d@rk51d3

I drop to 25 for any pedestrian in a school zone. Can't be too careful. Had a few surprises on occasion.

Me too.

I drive like a maniac in the bush but once I'm in built up areas with people around I'm the slow one.

[aussiblue]

It's progress; the roads in that list that I am most familiar with (i.e. Southern River Road and Berrigan Drive) have changed from being outer suburban semi-rural to developed built up areas and I have no issue with reducing the speed limits to protect the increased pedestrian and other traffic. Gee; when I first moved to Bibra Lake Hope Road was an open speed limit road and it now has 50 km/hr limit. I can also remember in the late 50's when Albany Highway past around Cannington had a 65mph limit.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by Trump

Absolutely pathetic.

The worst part is, the people that make these decisions aren't accountable to anyone. The red or blue clowns can be voted out, but not these hacks.

Yep. Unelected government bureaucrats making decisions on behalf of the public, operating in a vacuum of accountability.

[aussiblue]

he worst part is, the people that make these decisions aren't accountable to anyone. The red or blue clowns can be voted out, but not these hacks.

That's a silly myth. They are accountable through their CEO to the related Minister and Parliament and are also subject to the both Internal Audit as well as external audit by the Auditor General's office. It's actually all that layered detailed accountability that creates the bureaucracy and slows things down. If you have an issue with limits write to the Minister for Transport, Hon. Rita Saffioti.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

That's a silly myth. They are accountable through their CEO to the related Minister and Parliament and are also subject to the both Internal Audit as well as external audit by the Auditor General's office. It's actually all that layered detailed accountability that creates the bureaucracy and slows things down. If you have an issue with limits write to the Minister for Transport, Hon. Rita Saffioti.

Rita's my local member and she's as thick as a plank.

Not only do these bureaucrats operate in a vacuum of accountability, they demonstrate a lack of basic understanding of how speed limits should be adapted. It's widely accepted world wide the 85th percentile method is the best and safest way to set speed limits. But that's a principle that evades these imbeciles.

[aussiblue]

They actually follow pretty detailed Australian Standards in setting speed limits: https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Buil...ed_Zoning.aspx and https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Buil...ng.aspx#TOCh56 and your elected local Government has an active role:

5.2 Area Speed Zones
Applications shall only be made by the Local Government with responsibility for the area in which the Area Speed Zone is proposed.

All applications should be addressed to the Traffic Services Co-ordinator for the Metropolitan Region and the Customer Services Manager in the Regional Office.

The application shall include:

A scaled map showing the boundary of the proposed local area speed zone.
A list of all roads in the proposed area, the traffic volumes and the 85th percentile speed of traffic on these streets on an hourly basis.
A list of all roads that will require installation of speed control calming devices, where appropriate.
A list of all roads with substandard seal widths (less than 5.5 metres), and deteriorating surfaces.
Drawings to show the location and details of all proposed and existing speed control devices, proposed and existing threshold treatments, proposed local area speed limit signs and the locations of conducted speed surveys.
A brief description of a monitoring program. The monitoring program shall include at least local community attitudes and vehicle speeds.
The date on which the area speed zone is planned to come into force (i.e. after completion of Main Roads approvals and Council completion of roadwork if any).
A commitment by Council to measure speeds for the road sections with new speed control devices and to provide additional devices if the 85th percentile speed exceeds the area speed limit by more than 10 km/h.
A summary of consultation with the local community, police, emergency services and public transport authorities.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

They actually follow pretty detailed Australian Standards in setting speed limits: https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Buil...ed_Zoning.aspx and https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/Buil...ng.aspx#TOCh56

Gnangara Road, which used to be a single lane road had a gazetted speed limit of 90km/h. Now it's been upgraded to a dual carriage way the speed limit has reduced to 80km/h.........

It's not what the policies say they should do, it's the "Main Roads reserves the right to update this information at any time without notice." which is what we observe happening.

[Trump]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

That's a silly myth. They are accountable through their CEO to the related Minister and Parliament and are also subject to the both Internal Audit as well as external audit by the Auditor General's office. It's actually all that layered detailed accountability that creates the bureaucracy and slows things down. If you have an issue with limits write to the Minister for Transport, Hon. Rita Saffioti.

You can't be serious.

I've worked in the bureaucracy many years ago and the amount of dead wood was staggering. What was even more staggering was how many of the senior positions were filled with said wood; every single one of these peanuts did no work other than stuff that justified keeping their head in the trough. No one was ever sacked, they were always "reassigned" somewhere else when they cocked up, no one was ever demoted, no one was ever held truly accountable for their stuff ups or not working in the best interest of the electorate.

This "layered detailed accountability"... a smoke screen.

If anyone wants a glimpse of how the public service "works", watch ABC's "Utopia", they are scarily bang on at times.