Speed limit to drop to 40km/h in Stepney, Maylands and Evandale

The speed limit will be dropped to 40km/h in three suburbs in Adelaide’s east — and, if one councillor has his way, it will soon be lowered across the entire council area.

Roads around Stepney, Evandale and Maylands will be slowed to 40km/h.

• Push for 40km/h speed limit in pockets of the east
• No community support for lowering of the limit
• Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council call for city-wide speed reduction

The speed limit will be dropped to 40km/h in Stepney, Maylands and Evandale — and one Norwood, Payneham & St Peters elected member thinks the move should be implemented across the council area.

The change approved by NP&SP Council on Monday night follows residents’ concerns in July last year that leadfoots were cutting through suburban streets.

It will now officially request the Planning Minister to drop the limit from 50km/h in streets bordered by Portrush, Payneham and Magill roads and Nelson St after consultant Tonkin advised the lower speed would improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Cr Mike Stock said he fully supported the idea and wanted the council to go a step further.

“Compliance with the lower limit will create safer conditions for all road users, and I hope it can be eventually expanded to cover the whole council area,” Cr Stock said.

However, Cr Stock said he would not present a motion to council at this stage.

In the Charles Sturt Council area, sections of Bowden, Brompton, Ovingham, Grange, Henley Beach, Tennyson and Woodville West already have a 40km/h speed limit.

Unley introduced slower speeds on all its minor streets in 1999.

In a letter to the council’s chief executive officer, Mario Barone, SA Police assistant commissioner Bryan Fahy said a reduction of 5km/h in average travel speed would reduce urban casualty crashes by about 25 per cent.

A recent study of the area by Tonkin found average speeds were “typically less” than 45km/h.

Tonkin previously told the council there was no warrant for the reduction of the speed limit after stage one of community consultation.

But then it received 340 written submissions in stage two with nearly 70 per cent approving a speed limit change.

Cr Sue Whitington said she was happy to be led by the community’s desires.

“If it’s going to make the constituents happy, why should we object? This has been very well done by the consultants,” Cr Whitington said.

However, Cr Connie Granozio was the sole objector to the idea and wanted more community consultation.

“I’m not pleased at all with the 40km/h,” Cr Granozio said.

“I would support a 40km/h limit, if it would go back to consultation to make sure it’s what the residents wanted.

“People already travel quite slowly in this area because roads are quite narrow.

“I would hate to see people getting fines because they are travelling at 42km/h.”

The council say the Transport Department is in favour of the change.

It cost $43,000 to engage Tonkin to conduct the study, including two rounds of community consultation.