The City of Launceston has received confirmation from the State’s Transport Commissioner to lower speed limits on certain roads in the city.
The changes, which were unanimously approved by the Council in June, aim to ‘improve road safety, enhance roadside culture and achieve consistency in travel speeds’.
Public consultation earlier this year showed that while there was some opposition, a majority of respondents were in favour of the lowered speed limits.
The new speed limits will be implemented during the September school holidays, with new signage being installed on the affected roads.
Some roads will see speed reductions from 60km/h to 50km/h, while others will be reduced from 50km/h to 40km/h.
Mayor Matthew Garwood believes the changes will improve road safety and only add around three seconds to travel time.
“I totally understand some of the commentary around these changes, but in my short time as Mayor, I have already seen two accidents from out the window here in Town Hall,” he said.
“For the sake of improving road safety, and our roadside culture, these decreases add a total of around three seconds to travel time.”
“As we move forward as a community, we’re hopeful that these changes better reflect a realistic speed limit for these roads, based on the mix of traffic, the presence of pedestrians, the density of adjoining development and the complexity of traffic movements.”
Reductions from 60km/h to 50km/h
- Bathurst Street
- Wellington Street — between William and Howick Streets
- High Street — between David and Arthur streets
- Invermay Road — between Forster Street and Vermont Road
- Elphin Road, Penquite Road and Hoblers Bridge Road, near the Newstead Shopping Centre
Reductions from 50km/h to 40km/h
- Launceston CBD area bordered by Cimitiere, York, Wellington and Tamar Streets
- Mowbray Shopping Centre, Invermay Road between Vermont Road and Haig Street
- Kings Meadows shopping centre, Hobart Road between Riseley Street and Opossum Road
