Dangerous Brisbane road fixed: it only took four decades

Residents have literally popped the champagne after winning a long campaign to drop the speed limit on a deathtrap westside road.

Resident Gervase Griffith and Councillor James Mackay pop the champers after news broke that the speed limit on dangerous Swann Rd at Taringa will drop to 50kmh. Picture: AAP/Sarah Marshall

The speed limit on busy Swann Rd at Taringa will drop from 60kmh to 50kmh for the first time in memory after the area’s new councillor took up residents’ fight to prevent a tragedy.

The winding, narrow road, which has numerous blind corners and steep streets coming off it, has become more and more dangerous as the area’s population grows.

But it has been stuck at a 60kmh limit for at least four decades.

Cr James Mackay (Walter Taylor) said he had received more correspondence on the issue since he was sworn in as the local councillor in April last year than on any other issue in Taringa.

“This was a long campaign because we had to go through some very involved State Government processes,’’ he said.

“I’m glad residents were committed and patient enough to see this through.

“This is quite clearly a road that is not suitable for 60kmh because it is so busy, so windy and has blind corners.

“I’m glad the review process has recognised this.’’

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The new speed limit will apply from May 28, but Council will install variable speed signs the week before and the week after to alert motorists to the change.

Taringa resident Gervase Griffith, who lives off Swann Rd, said he had tried unsuccessfully to have something done about the speed limit for many years.

“It’s definitely got worse in the 10 years I’ve been living here,’’ Mr Griffith said.

“There’s been a lot of development, an endless cycle of new buildings, which has increased the amount of traffic.

“With the speed limit going down to 50kmh, that will help control the problem.

“James (Mackay) is aware of the problems in this area and is highly committed to helping people locally.’’

Cr Mackay said the process of varying speed limits was changed by the State Government last year, to a seven-stage process, to ensure it was based on strong evidence.

An initial assessment by Council traffic engineers was completed about September last year.

A traffic study was carried out before Christmas, involving surveys of how fast motorists actually drove and consideration of crash risks.

Checks were then done by an engineer. Monitoring will now be carried out to ensure the change is working.