"What a joke": Backlash over new strict speed limit
Melbourne residents have lashed out at a local council over the controversial decision to reduce the speed limit on bust roads.
Every street in Fitzroy and Collingwood, except state-managed roads such as major thoroughfares, are now under the new strict speed limit of a mere 30 kilometres an hour, which has been enforced by the Yarra City Council.
Thoroughfares that are currently exempt from the 30km/h limit include Johnston Street, Nicholson Street, Hoddle Street, Alexandra Parade and Victoria Parade, although the council is working hard to bring the speed limits on these major roads down to 40km/h or 60km/h.
Yarra City Council Mayor, Edward Crossland, said there is clear evidence that reducing speed limits will lessen the number of road accidents and save lives.
“We want to make our streets safer and better places for people of all ages and abilities whether you are walking, wheeling, cycling or driving. 30km can have a huge benefit and we know there is a lot of support for this initiative across our community,” he said.
“Research shows that a person walking is at least twice as likely to be killed by a driver travelling at 40km than at 30km and that safer speed limits in urban areas has minimal impact on travel time."
The council first began trialling the 30km/h speed limit in 2018 in northern parts of Fitzroy and Collingwood, and brought the number of crashes down by 52 percent over the first 12 months.
Despite the evidence that reduced speeds help the community at large, not everyone is impressed by the change, with social media users claiming the lower speed limit will “never be enforced”.
Another claimed, “When the police commissioner comes out and says it’s ridiculous and nobody will follow the limits then yeah, fair to say it won’t be enforced.”
In 2023, Victorian Police chief commissioner Shane Patton, told ABC radio that changing the speed limit to 30km/h was “not the answer”.
“I think no one’s going to obey it. It’s ridiculous,” he said.
Social media users have branded the change an attempt at “revenue raising”, with one commenter saying: “Just another way to nab us with fines! All about the revenue.”
“What a joke,” another person said, while one claimed people might as well start pushing their cars if the speed limit is so low.
However, there are also those that have praised the council’s decision, branding it a “great initiative”.
“Great news! More traffic calming please,” one person said.
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