City of Sydney calls for 30km/h speed zones in draft plans

Cars in the CBD could be forced to drive at just 30km/h under a new push from the City of Sydney Council to lower speed limits to discourage driving. See what speed is proposed for each road.

Cars in the CBD could be forced to drive at just 30km/h under a new push from the City of Sydney Council to lower speed limits to discourage driving.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s council plans to call for speed limits of just 30km/h, or lower, in the city centre and other high-activity areas.

The revelations, from a draft Access Strategy for which public submissions closed last week, come as an investigation by The Daily Telegraph has found that speed limits on almost 200 roads across NSW have been permanently reduced since July last year.

They include four roads in St Leonards’ town centre which were slowed from 50km/h to 40km/h to “provide a more pedestrian friendly environment,” Transport for NSW said.

A section of Halcrows Rd from Cattai to Glenorie was reduced from 100km/h to 60km/h last year “in response to local community concerns,” with “community concerns” also leading a section of Menangle St in Picton slowing from 60km/h to 50km/h.

The City of Sydney plans to lobby the state government for 30km/h speed zones. Picture: NCA NewsWire

The City of Sydney’s new push for speed limits of 30km/h or slower comes after the council lobbied the state government for 40km/h zones on most local roads.

The push for 30km/h speed limits is deliberately designed to stop people driving.

“Lower speeds are important to enable better public realm outcomes, to encourage and facilitate walking and cycling, and to achieving Vision Zero,” the draft policy states.

The council is now assessing community feedback and will “bring a report back to the council later in the year,” a council spokesman said.

But the move has been slammed as something which would put the brakes on the city’s economic recovery.

“Businesses are struggling … and the last thing they need is this on top of it which means that courier drivers, taxi drivers, Uber drivers, people will be slowed down even longer which is going to add further costs and burden to the economy,” Business Sydney CEO Paul Nicolau said.

Liberal Roads spokeswoman Natalie Ward said “blanket” 30km/h zones across the City of Sydney would be “farcical”.

A 50km/h speed limit sign on Macleay Street, Elizabeth Bay, should have a 40km/h limit – but no-one has changed the signs. Photo: Tim Pascoe

“Sydney would literally grind to a halt,” she said.

“It doesn’t take an expert to realise a Sydney CBD in the slow lane and gridlocked traffic will see more emissions and less efficiency across the network,” she said.

Despite the council’s push to make us drive slower, the Telegraph can also reveal that a handful of local roads in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs actually have two speed limits.

Roslyn Gardens, in Rushcutters Bay, should also be 40km/h. Picture: Tim Pascoe

On paper, local roads in Woolloomooloo, Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay and Rushcutters Bay were slowed down to 40km/h since July 2021.

But no-one has bothered to change the speed limit signs on at least three roads, meaning drivers are still allowed to drive at 50km/h on Macleay St, Roslyn Gardens and Ithaca Rd.

In a statement, a Transport for NSW spokeswoman said the agency is “continuing to work with the City of Sydney on their proposals for speed reductions”.

Transport for NSW has reduced the speed limits on 199 roads across NSW since July 2022. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“Speed limit zones across NSW are constantly reviewed and assessed to meet the needs of the community.”

A number of 30km/h speed limit zones have already been imposed. Transport is currently monitoring the effectiveness of the 30km/h zones, the spokeswoman said.

Of the 199 roads which have copped lower speed limits since July 2022, Transport for NSW said speed limits are regularly reviewed.

“Common reasons for speed zone changes across NSW since 1 July 2022 are to improve safety at railway crossings, to address local community concerns, school zones, and areas identified as a high pedestrian activity,” a spokeswoman said.