Sydney CBD to Get Mildly More Pedestrian Friendly with 40km/h Speed Limit

CBDs all over the world are battlefields where vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians collide. In response, cities like Copenhagen and Vienna have long prided themselves on the creation of central car-free areas. In Sydney, Lord Mayor Clover Moore has been barracking for a sizeable pedestrian zone in George Street, where trees and promenades would replace traffic lights and road rage. You might remember being treated to an all-too-brief taste of the concept back in October 2012, when Art and About’s closing night manifested as a Moveable Feast.

A totally tranquil Sydney CBD isn’t happening quite yet, but NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay has announced a pedestrian-friendly move. As of the end of 2014, a significant section of the CBD will receive a decreased speed limit of 40km/h — a 10km/h reduction on the current 50km/h. The limit will apply to the area bordered by Castlereagh, Pitt, Kent and Hay Streets. You can think of it as a major extension of the 40km/h section that already applies in The Rocks.

The main motivation for the legislation is increasing pedestrian deaths. Seven have been killed in the CBD since 2008 — three of those in the past year and six of those in the area outlined here.

"More than 90 per cent of trips made every day in the Sydney CBD are made on foot," Minister Gay announced. "We know that speed is a critical factor for the safety of pedestrians. A vehicle that hits a pedestrian at 50km/h is twice as likely to cause a fatality as the same vehicle travelling 10km/h slower."

However, he also acknowledged pedestrian misbehaviour as a factor. "Pedestrians also need to play their part to reduce the number of crashes," he said. "The Sydney CBD Motorcycle Response Team will continue to monitor poor pedestrian behaviour... Pedestrians should always cross at the lights, obey traffic signals, look both ways before they cross and stay alert by not getting distracted by phones or music."

Via SMH.