FEEDBACK INVITED ON 40KM/H TRIAL

ACT Chief Minister and Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Katy Gallagher, today invited Canberrans to provide feedback on the 40 kilometre per hour (km/h) speed limit trial in the Woden and Gungahlin Town Centres.

“The six month trial has been operating on a full time basis (24 hours a day, seven days a week) since August 2011, with the aim of improving safety for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users,” the Chief Minister said.

“Traffic calming measures such as speed humps were installed in the core retail areas of Woden and Gungahlin along with signage erected to alert people to the changed traffic conditions.

“The ACT Government will now conduct an evaluation of the six month trial to determine the effectiveness of the 40km/h speed limit in improving safety for vulnerable road users. As part of this process community feedback is invited from traders, shoppers and road users. Speed, traffic volumes and pedestrian surveys will also be conducted,” the Chief Minister said.

Research indicates that the introduction of a 40km/h speed limit area can significantly reduce the risk of death for vulnerable road users. For example, a 10km/h decrease in speed can reduce the risk of death for pedestrians and cyclists by over 50 percent.

“Implementing safer speed limits is a proven road safety measure, as identified in the National Road Safety Strategy and the ACT Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan,” the Chief Minister said.

“If the trial is successful, we will retain the 40km/h area within the Woden and Gungahlin Town Centres on a permanent basis. The reduced speed limit may also be introduced in other major town centre precincts.”

Feedback on the trial can be made by completing a survey online at www.tams.act.gov.au. Hardcopies of the survey are also available at the Woden and Gungahlin Libraries as well as the Woden Canberra Connect Shopfront. Consultation closes at 5 pm on Wednesday 28 February 2011.