Tasmanian Association of State School Organisations open to idea of school zone speed reduction

The peak body representing Tasmanian state school associations is open to the idea of speed limits being dropped to 30km/h in school zones but has warned of possible “unintended consequences”.

The state government may consider a proposal to reduce speed limits in school zones to 30km/h.

The peak body representing Tasmanian state school associations is open to the idea of speed limits being dropped to 30km/h in school zones but has warned of possible “unintended consequences” in some areas if the change is implemented too hastily.

Transport Minister Eric Abetz last month indicated that the state government would consider a proposal to lower school zone speed limits after Road Safety Advisory Council chair Scott Tilyard suggested it could keep children safer.

Tasmanian Association of State School Organisations (TASSO) president John Allan said he and other board members had discussed the proposal but did not yet have a formal position on the matter.

Minister for Transport Eric Abetz and students of Blackmans Bay Primary School on Thursday, January 30, 2025.

“In general, TASSO wholly supports any initiative that demonstrably increases pedestrian and road safety for vulnerable road users, like schoolchildren, near schools and on their transport route,” he said.

“There are … cases where there would be unintended consequences of such a change that may not be supported by an individual school association.”

State school students returned to the classroom last week following the summer break, with the government launching its annual Love 40 campaign to implore motorists to stick to the speed limit when driving through school zones.

Between 2020 and 2024, 13 pedestrians and cyclists aged 17 and under were involved in crashes in school zones, including one fatality.

Mr Allan said TASSO would work with the government if it decided to implement a speed reduction policy but noted that “individual implementation plans” may be needed for different schools.

A bus outside Hobart school, Lansdowne Cresent Primary.

“Reducing the 40km/h zones to 30km/h zones may well have a good impact at most places, but there may be places where it’s not the right solution,” he said.

“There are many other things that would probably make a bigger difference at individual schools. So we talk about things like traffic calming, making the route past the school not part of a rat run.

“As of right now … some [school associations] are in favour [of a speed limit reduction], some haven’t talked about it at all, some are not in favour because of issues they perceive those changes having within their specific school.”

Mr Abetz said in January that the government needed to balance keeping the community safe and keeping traffic moving.

“They’re the two balancing considerations but I think most people would say keeping the community safe, especially our young ones, for those short sections of where there are schools and children moving is of paramount importance,” he said.

Originally published as Tasmanian Association of State School Organisations open to idea of school zone speed reduction