Kensington Park joins Beulah Park in possible 40km/h zone and Burnside Council suggests more are to come

YET another suburb in the east is in line for a 40km/h zone – councillors fear it could be part of push for lower speed limits across the district.

• New 40km/h limit across Norwood, Payneham & St Peters
• Burnside Council to investigate a trial of 40km/h limit in Beulah Park
• Adelaide City Council scraps 40km/h limit for 50km/h on Hutt St

KENSINGTON Park is the latest suburb to be be considered for a 40km/h limit in a move some Burnside councillors have suggested could lead to lower speeds throughout the district.

Burnside Council voted last week to add Kensington Park, north of The Parade, to a 40km/h zone it is already considering for neighbouring Beulah Park.

Engineering services manager Kevan Delaney told last week’s council meeting suburbs such as Leabrook and Erindale could be next in line if the trial in Beulah Park and Kensington Park was successful.

“We would anticipate, subject to the results here, to expand this to other suburbs with similar circumstances,” Mr Delaney said.

He said the only reason Beulah Park was chosen in April as the first suburb was because consultation had shown residents favoured a 40km/h zone over speed humps to slow traffic and improve safety for cyclists on the new Beulah Rd bikeway.

But councillors Graham Bills and Mark Osterstock suggested the latest 40km/h zone was part of a “creeping” conspiracy to lower speed limits across the east.

“We are trying to bring in something behind residents’ backs and I don’t think they’ll be impressed,” Cr Bills said.

However, most councillors supported consulting with Beulah Park and Kensington Park residents about implementing a 40km/h zone in their streets in conjunction with a local area traffic management plan.

“The residents of Beulah Park in particular are finding life more difficult as their residential amenity is seriously compromised by traffic,” Cr Jane Davey said.

Kensington Park resident Tim Jordan, who attended the meeting, said he was sick of people driving too fast down his street and using it to cut between Magill Rd and The Parade.

“If I had my way, all the side streets in the council would be 40km/h,” Mr Jordan said.

The council is also considering lowering the speed limit in Eastwood.

Introducing a 40km/h zone in Eastwood was one of seven suggestions put to residents there in consultation earlier this month to stop people cutting through the suburb.

In each case, larger streets would stay at 50km/h and major roads 60km/h.

Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council voted in March to consult on a 40km/h zone across the district.

Unley Council introduced a blanket 40km/h limit in 1999.