WalkSydney

What

WalkSydney want slower speed roads.

We want a 90% chance of survival / living, not the current 10% chance of survival / living.

Types of speed limits	Current speed limit	Controlled by	WalkSydney ask
Default speed limit (urban) in ‘built-up areas’ – areas with street lights and buildings next to the road less than 100m apart	50km/h (90% chance of being killed, 10% chance of living)	NSW Government	30km/h (10% chance of being killed, 90% chance of living)
School Zone	40km/h	NSW Government	30km/h or lower
High Pedestrian Activity Area (HPAA)	40km/h Can also be 20/30km/h	NSW Government. Can be delegated via Local Traffic Committee motion	30km/h or lower
Local Traffic Area	50km/h Can also be 40km/h	NSW Government. Can be delegated via Local Traffic Committee motion	30km/h

WalkSydney acknowledge that this is unlikely to happen overnight (although it could).

ANY decrease in speed limits is welcomed.

Why

Driving too fast is the single biggest contributor to death and injury on NSW roads. Each year, speeding contributes to about 41% of road fatalities and 24% of serious injuries. Almost 135 lives are lost and 1141 people are seriously injured. (Transport for NSW)

Globally, 30km/h (20mph) is being recognised as the best speed for surviving (living) from being hit by a motor vehicle.

Who

How

Conversation

We need more people to be talking about 30km/h as best practice and the ideal speed limit for local streets.

We need politicians to stand up and advocate for safer streets and to support the changes required.

We need the NSW Government to commit to Towards Actual Zero deaths – and to apply this thinking across all agencies to achieve this on the ground.

The easiest option

The easiest / cheapest way to decrease speed limits is to change the default urban speed limit to 30km/h. This involves the Roads Minister making this decision and signs being changed. There is less confusion as it is a general rule.

Other options

One street, school, region at a time.

References

Global

• None of the European cities that lowered the speed limit to 30 km/h regrets it

Australia

• 30please – 30Please believe our residential and urban streets in Australia should be safe for people who walk and cycle.
• OPEN LETTER: Australia’s transport and urban researchers call on government to reduce default road speeds (Aug, 2024)
  • Lower speeds on local streets cut deaths and injuries by a quarter in Wales. Over 100 experts want Australia to do the same (The Conversation, Aug 2024)

NSW

• NSW Towards Zero – Speed zones and speed management
• Bicycle NSW – Why are people calling for 30km/h?

Local

• WalkSydney statement – 30km/h zones in Liverpool should have stayed (Dec 2022) (Our response to Liverpool Council implementing a much needed 30kmh with immediate punitive speed cameras – instead of a proper behaviour change program)