InnerWest@40 FAQs
FAQs
- How were the priority areas selected
- Are there other examples of 40 km/hr zones in residential areas?
- Will it make my trips longer?
- Will school zones be affected?
- Why are we proposing to change speed limits on Regional Roads?
- What will the impact be on buses?
- How will Council put the plans in place?
- Explanation of terms used in the study
FAQs
- How were the priority areas selected
Council used a tool called the Multi Criteria Assessment (MCA). The MCA was designed as part of the study to determine the prioritisation for implementing the 40 km/hr zones. Some of the factors considered in the MCA include:
- the amount and type of pedestrian and cycle activity of the area;
- the proximity of services used by vulnerable road users such as hospitals, schools, commercial areas and green spaces; and
- the concentration of past crashes and their severity.
- Are there other examples of 40 km/hr zones in residential areas?
Yes, the whole of the Balmain Peninsula has been a 40 km/hr zone for over a decade. InnerWest@40 is simply bringing the rest of the Inner West Local Government Area into alignment with the Balmain Peninsula.
- Will it make my trips longer?
The Study shows that there will generally only be minor increases in the time taken to travel within the Inner West, and even then not all trips will be affected. This is because most trips use Regional and State Roads, rather than local streets. The Study examined several routes within the Inner West to see what impact the proposal would have on travel times. The worst affected route was a route from Rozelle to Summer Hill, with the proposals resulting in an anticipated maximum increase in travel time of 26 seconds on a 11 minute 51 second trip during peak times.
- Will school zones be affected?
School zones will remain unchanged, however, the Study has set a framework for future work to consider a 30km/hr speed limit during active school zone times to make the school zones distinct from the LGA-wide 40km/hr traffic network and, so, further improve road safety for critical vulnerable users. This would require a separate follow-up study.
- Why are we proposing to change speed limits on Regional Roads?
Several of the Regional Roads in the in the Inner West have a mix of speed limits including 50 and 60 km/hr. To avoid confusion and create a consistency in the Inner West, this Study proposes to make all of the Regional Roads 50 km/hr except in areas where there is a lot of pedestrian activity; these areas should remain 40 km/hr.
- What will the impact be on buses?
The impact on buses will be minimal. Inner West buses generally run on State and Regional Roads that operate at or below 50km/hr for most of the day. Additionally, travel time impacts across the Inner West are minimal.
- How will Council put the plans in place?
The MCA was used to prioritise areas to implement the 40km/hr zones. The area boundaries were established using major roads, while also considering adjacent land uses.
Based on these priorities the first step will be to introduce speed zone signage and logos. Should this not prove adequate Council will prepare Local Area Traffic Management Schemes for each area and introduce these using a systematic priority-based and needs-based approach.
- Explanation of terms used in the study
- 85th Percentile Speed – the speed at or below which 85 percent of all vehicles are observed to travel under free-flowing conditions past a monitored point when their speed choice is not constrained by vehicles in front of them.
- Compass IOT – Compass IOT utilises Cloud Connected Vehicles to generate and process data. As such, the speed and near miss data is limited to vehicles produced from 2014 onward, for a range of partnered vehicle manufacturers.
- Going Places – an Integrated Transport Strategy (2020) – a key evidence-based strategy prepared by Council to guide its transport decisions and projects over the next 10 years.
- High Pedestrian Activity Area (HPAA) – sections of road where there’s interaction between vehicles and large numbers of pedestrians. These are typically near shopping strips, railway stations, bus interchanges, popular beaches, and medical centres. The maximum speed limit in HPAAs is always 40km/hr, along with the use of appropriate traffic calming measures.
- Inner West Community Strategic Plan (CSP) – Council’s Community plan for its future. The creation of the CSP was led by the Mayor and Councillors and through engagement with the Community and Council Officers.
- Local Roads – roads which are under Council jurisdiction.
- Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) – this Statement sets out the strategic planning ambitions for the Inner West Local Government Area, as a whole and for specific areas. The LSPS allows councils to translate their strategic planning into local priorities and actions.
- Movement and Place Framework – a comprehensive approach to aligning the movement of people and goods, with amenity and quality of places on or adjacent to roads.
- Multi Criteria Assessment (MCA) – a set of parameters used as part of the Study to prioritise the implementation of the 40km/hr zones across the Local Government Area.
- NSW Open Data Hub – Transport for NSW’s open data site.
- Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy (PRCUTS) – this strategy sets out the NSW Government’s 30 year plan for the Parramatta Road Corridor and identifies future land use, development decisions and long-term infrastructure to be provided.
- Regional Roads – roads which are funded by the State Government and managed by Councils.
- Transport for NSW (TfNSW) – Transport for NSW is the State agency who has jurisdiction over speed limits of the entire NSW road network, and most other State and Regional transport matters.