The plan to slow traffic to 40km/h on Portrush Rd: Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council votes to trial speed restrictions
AN eastern suburbs council wants traffic slowed to 40km/h outside schools on main roads, including Portrush Rd. Here is want it plans to do.
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DRIVERS would need to slow to 40km/h outside schools on main roads — including Portrush Rd, a major freight route — a in new bid to improve student safety.
Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council last week voted for a trial of lower speed limits during school drop-off and pick-up times, despite the Transport Department, RAA and Road Transport Assoication expressing concerns with the plan.
Under the council’s proposal, the lower speed limits would apply outside all 16 schools in the district, including on North and Dequetteville terraces and Portrush and Kensington roads.
It will now ask the State Government to trial a 40km/h zone on a yet-to-be-determined road.
But in a letter to the council, Transport Department traffic operations manager Tony Carbone said the push was influenced by interstate examples, where traffic conditions were different.
He suggested any 40km/h trial should be on Osmond Tce — a council-owned road — before potentially introducing lower limits on busier, multi-lane roads.
NP & SP Mayor Robert Bria said a trial on Portrush Rd would be more suitable.
“Unlike Portrush Rd, Osmond Tce has a 50km/h speed limit so I think that may have impacted the recommendation,” Mr Bria told the East Torrens Messenger.
“As Portrush Rd is a federal highway which has a lot of heavy traffic and a lot of schools, I think that is where the main emphasis came from.”
South Australian Road Transport Association executive director Steve Shearer said the plan to introduce speed limit restrictions on Portrush Rd, a major freight route, was unnecessary.
“The reality is if we are going slower it is safer, but where do you draw the line?” Mr Shearer said.
“You can still have an accident at 20km/h or 30km/h.
“It has to be remembered that Portrush Rd is part of the national highway network, it is not a local road, and is a major freight route.”
More than 210,000 freight vehicles used Portrush Rd every year, Mr Shearer said.
RAA traffic engineer Ian Bishop said lowering speed limits on Portrush Rd could lead to a push for similar limits other main roads, such as South Rd.
“Should 40km/h zones be imposed on Portrush Rd, precedent will be set for schools on other arterial roads,” Mr Bishop said in a letter to the council.
“There should be recognition that this will affect other jurisdictions.”
The move has been widely supported by local schools.
The scheme would cost the council $560,000 and, along with lowering the speed limits, would include installing drop-off zones and pedestrian crossings.
It would be up to the Transport Department to permanently lower speed limits after any trial.