Sydney’s Inner West Council votes on 40km/h speed limits
Seeking to improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, the Inner West Council has unanimously voted to lower the speed limit on local streets to 40km/h.
Drivers travelling in many suburbs in Sydney's inner west will soon be limited to 40km/h speed limits on local roads.
The council – which governs an area directly to the west of Sydney CBD, encompassing Lilyfield, Leichhardt, Annandale, Newtown, Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Petersham, and Ashfield – voted this week to introduce the 40km/h speed limit in built-up streets.
Inner West Council says the new speed limits have been introduced to improve road safety for pedestrians and cyclists – with 82 per cent of residents surveyed in favour of the change.
"In a crash between a car and a pedestrian, there is a 90 per cent chance that a pedestrian will survive at 30km/h, 60 per cent chance at 40km/h and a 10 per cent chance at 50km/h," Councillor Tim Stephens said in a written statement.
"The average vehicle speed in the Inner West is already below 40km/hr. It makes sense to adopt uniform and safer speed limits and increase community safety."
According to Cr Stephens, driving from Birchgrove to Marrickville will take an additional 16 seconds with the lower speed limit, and an extra 36 seconds on the weekend.
The rollout will prioritise roads near childcare centres, schools, hospitals, and aged care facilities.
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