West Torrens Council to consider dropping speed limit along some residential streets

Speed limits would drop around dozens of residential streets, while the plan to target a beach will create “angst” if it’s not done properly, a council says.

Council staff in Adelaide’s west has warned of “confusion and angst” from motorists if it doesn’t cut speed limits to 40km/h to match a nearby council’s plan.

West Torrens Council would cut speed limits along more residential streets across multiple suburbs under a plan to improve safety.

The council surveyed residents as part of consultation on a 10-year community plan and found more than half of those who responded backed the idea.

Those surveyed said Mile End, Mile End South, Thebarton, and Torrensville were their preferred locations for lower speed limits but council also suggested Keswick and Ashford as “sensible areas for inclusion”.

Several other councils, including Walkerville, Prospect, and NPSP have all cut speed limits to 40km/h along some residential streets.

Charles Sturt Council has reduced speed limits on local streets across all of its suburbs except for West Beach, which crosses council lines into West Torrens.

It’s now also seeking support from West Torrens for joint consultation and application to the Transport Department to drop the speed to 40 km/h along all local streets in the beachside suburb.

“If the City of Charles Sturt chooses to zone their council area of West Beach to 40km/h speed limit separately in the absence of support from the City of West Torrens, the connected local road network in West Beach area at the council boundary will likely be met with confusion and angst by motorists, especially residents in the broader area,” a West Torrens council document said.

Charles Sturt chief executive Paul Sutton said the “severity of injury is markedly reduced” if an accident between a driver and pedestrian occurs at 40km/k rather than at 50km/h.

Rosemary Cardinali and Leanne Lawrence, with Jack, 3 support lower speed limits on local streets in Adelaide’s west. Picture: Ben Clark

West Beach residents Leanne Lawrence and Rosemary Cardinali supported the proposal to lower speed limits on local streets.

Ms Lawrence said she already went “a lot slower” because 50km/h was dangerous.

“You’ve just got to go slowly in these areas,” she said, adding many did not adhere to the 50km/h speed limit.

Ms Cardinali wanted the authorities to go further and reduce the speed limit along Seaview Rd, which she said was treated by motorists like “a highway”.

West Torrens Council first started looking into this issue in 2022 to improve public safety. 

A spokesperson said “no decisions have been made in relation to progressing the matter at this point in time”.

The proposal is still in its early stages and when discussed at a recent committee meeting, elected members voted to defer the matter to a “workshop” for further consideration.

Originally published as West Torrens Council to consider dropping speed limit along some residential streets