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Road safety expert calls for 30km/h limit trials

Speed limits of 30km/h should be tested near shopping areas, hospitals, schools and aged-care homes after WA had the biggest number of pedestrian deaths in 11 years, road safety experts said yesterday.

Curtin-Monash Accident Research Centre director Brett Hughes said 30km/h speed limit trials were needed after 26 pedestrians were killed by vehicles in WA last year - the equal worst toll since 2000 when 34 pedestrians died.

He said research showed a person hit by a vehicle travelling at 30km/h had a strong chance of surviving, but those hit at 50km/h rarely lived. I thought the reason we went to 50 km/h in the first place for suburban streets was because research showed at 50 km/h you had a strong chance of surviving, but not at 60 km/h? You know, drop 10?

Mr Hughes said lower limits should be tested in Perth's busy areas such as shopping precincts and where there were high numbers of vulnerable pedestrians, such as the elderly, the sick and children.

Main Roads WA has tested lower speed limits at six locations. The first of those trials, which cut the limit by 10km/h to 40km/h on a stretch of Beaufort Street, finished last year.

Others include 40km/h on a part of Albany Highway in Victoria Park, 30km/h on a part of Oxford Street in Leederville and 50km/h on stretches of Great Eastern Highway in Mundaring and South Western Highway in Byford. All areas of narrow, single lane roads, with parking on both sides; most shopping "precincts" are on major highways, FFS.

Main Roads acting traffic manager Clint Cooper said they would meet Office of Road Safety and local government representatives next month to discuss the trials.

Transport Minister Troy Buswell said the trial results would "provide a valuable guide in determining the most effective and appropriate treatments to enhance pedestrian safety at specific locations". Translation: "****, yeah, more speed cameras, more money to piss up against the wall."

Shadow road safety minister Michelle Roberts said she would support 30km/h trials in limited locations. Translation: "We won't fight it 'cause we'll need the dough too when we (eventually) get back in power."

She said an analysis of the deaths last year, such as where, when and how, was needed to better understand the increase.

Gilbert Crossley's 74-year-old wife Eileen died when hit by a car as she crossed Lloyd Street in Midland last month. He believes she would not have been killed if the limit had been 30km/h, not 60km/h, on the road adjacent to Midland Gate Shopping Centre. I'm sorry for his loss, but maybe she shouldn't have wandered across a major arterial road. It's called "Great Eastern Highway" for a reason!

"I think they should try 30km/h limits," he said. "If it only saves even one person then it is a good thing."