Just six submissions in favour of Clover’s Moore’s 30km/h Sydney CBD speed limit push

As speed limits on more City of Sydney roads drop to 40km/h, the number of calls for even slower restrictions didn’t even hit double figures. Critics say slashing speed limits is “another nail in the coffin for business”.

A survey used to inform a Clover Moore push to slash speed limits to 40km/h across Sydney had just one submission voicing “general support for lower speed limits” in the city, leading to calls for more consultation to be undertaken amid pushes for limits to be dropped even further.

An “Access Strategy and Action Plan” published by the City of Sydney in October last year also received less than five online submissions voicing “Support for 30km/h speed limits in city centre and village high streets”.

There was also just one submission in “support for 30km/h speed limits more generally across the City of Sydney”.

The entire survey only received 107 responses through an online portal, with just 23 more detailed submissions – including just seven from individuals – lodged in total.

A new survey has revealed there were just six submissions in favour of for the Clover Moore push to slash Sydney CBD speed limits to 30km/h.

The council announced last week a number of speed limits would be cut, including on all council-managed roads in the suburbs of Glebe, Forest Lodge, Beaconsfield and Waterloo, where 50km/h limits were dropped to 40km/h.

Other sections of roads with 50km/h limits in Annandale, Redfern, Alexandria, Zetland and Woolloomooloo will also be cut by 10km/h.

At the same time, the council announced it would push ahead to cut speed limits even further in parts of the city to just 30km/h.

Premier Chris Minns last week signalled he’d oppose the drop to 30km/h, saying “You could walk quicker than that”, adding the CBD of Australia’s largest city shouldn’t be treated like a country town.

Business Sydney executive director Paul Nicolaou said the lack of community engagement was highlighted in the report and the minuscule amount of responses supporting speed limit cuts.

The City of Sydney announced last week it was lowering its general speed limit from 50km/h to 40km/h. Picture: Chris Southwood

“This whole aspect of reducing the speed limit has not been thought out – it’s just an interesting way they can say that everyone supports it without proper consultation,” he said.

“They should have held a roundtable with police, business, government and council and other local chambers to ascertain what’s the best way forward.”

He added the chamber was calling for the changes to be “scrapped altogether, no questions asked”.

“All this is going to do is create more problems for business and we’re already seeing falling numbers of foot traffic in the city because it’s all too hard to get around,” he said.

“30km/h would be another nail in the coffin for business.”

A City of Sydney spokesman claimed more than 50 per cent of respondents to another community consultation “responded to our walking strategy and action plan engagement included lowering speed limits as one of their top priorities”.

“We regularly engage our community who continue telling us they want a city for walking and cycling with better public transport and fewer cars,” he said.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the city “used to be the exclusive domain of the personal motor car, full of noisy traffic sewers and dangerous rat runs”.

“We’ve been working meticulously to change that. Yes, some trips can take a minute in your car, but the trade-off is safer, more pleasant places for everyone,” she said.

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Originally published as Just six submissions in favour of Clover’s Moore’s 30km/h Sydney CBD speed limit push