Published Monday, 15 December, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
Speed limit lowered to reduce road crashes
The speed limit on a section of the Warrego Highway west of Toowoomba will be reduced next week as part of a safety initiative being undertaken by Main Roads, Queensland Transport and the Queensland Police Service.
Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the section of highway had been identified for a speed limit reduction from 100km/h to 90km/h, following detailed analysis and in response to community concerns.
"The section of the Warrego Highway between Banyula Drive, Torrington, and Kingsthorpe Haden Road, Kingsthorpe, (approximately nine kilometres) has a significant history of crashes," Mr Pitt said.
"The safety of all road users is Main Roads' top priority. We have listened to growing community concern regarding this road and will lower the speed limit by 10km/h from 15 December 2008.
"In the last five years there have been a total of 46 crashes on this road, with four of these resulting in fatalities.
"Based on this information, it was evident that more had to be done to improve safety on this stretch of road and reduce the instances of crashes resulting from excess speed, failure to drive to the conditions and lack of due care.”
Mr Pitt and Queensland Transport Minister John Mickel said Main Roads was working in partnership with Queensland Transport and the Police Service to implement a number of safety treatments on this road.
"We are not talking about large changes to speed limits, just a 10km/h reduction. Changes of this order on roads with a poor safety performance can make a big difference to the road toll," Mr Mickel said.
A 10km/h reduction in speed limit has been trialled on the Ipswich Motorway, and the speed limit on the Kuranda Range road in North Queensland was recently reduced to 60 km/h, with positive results.
Mr Mickel said speeding continued to be a major killer on Queensland roads. He said 95 people died in speed-related crashes last year, accounting for 26 per cent of the road toll.
"I'd urge local drivers and all motorists to look out for the road signs and be aware of the change of speed limit on these roads. I also remind motorists that these reduced speed limits will be enforced," Mr Mickel said.
"Ultimately, the new speed limits have been introduced to improve road safety and reduce the risk of communities having to deal with traumatic results of speed-related crashes."
Mr Pitt said reducing the speed limit from 100km/h to 90km/h would only add an extra four seconds of travelling time per kilometre, but could make a big difference to the road roll.
"The cost in terms of travelling time is small, but the potential benefit to the community, with a reduction in road trauma, is enormous,” he said.
"The reduction in speed limit will be rigorously enforced by the police, to ensure that it is taken seriously by all motorists."
Mr Pitt said there were, on average, 11,500 vehicles per day using the road, with 12 per cent being heavy vehicles (including Type 1 road trains).
"A number of intersections on the section of highway also have a high volume of turning traffic, including heavy vehicles," he said.
"In similar circumstances, Main Roads also reduced the speed limit from 100km/h to 90km/h on the Toowoomba Range 'up' lanes in April 2005, in response to the high number of rear-end crashes occurring on the road.
"In this particular example, lowering the speed limit to 90km/h resulted in a significant reduction in the number and severity of crashes on the road."
Mr Pitt said it was important to recognise that the speed limit reductions would be in place until further improvements were made and funding became available.
"The Queensland Government will continue to prioritise and allocate funding to roads where it is most needed and liaise with the Australian Government where federal funding is required," Mr Pitt said.
"There will be warning signs, letting motorists know they are entering a high-crash zone before the reduced speed limit section.
“New speed limit signs will also be installed," Mr Pitt said.
More information on the safety initiatives and the changed conditions can be found at www.mainroads.qld.gov.au and www.transport.qld.gov.au
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819
Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the section of highway had been identified for a speed limit reduction from 100km/h to 90km/h, following detailed analysis and in response to community concerns.
"The section of the Warrego Highway between Banyula Drive, Torrington, and Kingsthorpe Haden Road, Kingsthorpe, (approximately nine kilometres) has a significant history of crashes," Mr Pitt said.
"The safety of all road users is Main Roads' top priority. We have listened to growing community concern regarding this road and will lower the speed limit by 10km/h from 15 December 2008.
"In the last five years there have been a total of 46 crashes on this road, with four of these resulting in fatalities.
"Based on this information, it was evident that more had to be done to improve safety on this stretch of road and reduce the instances of crashes resulting from excess speed, failure to drive to the conditions and lack of due care.”
Mr Pitt and Queensland Transport Minister John Mickel said Main Roads was working in partnership with Queensland Transport and the Police Service to implement a number of safety treatments on this road.
"We are not talking about large changes to speed limits, just a 10km/h reduction. Changes of this order on roads with a poor safety performance can make a big difference to the road toll," Mr Mickel said.
A 10km/h reduction in speed limit has been trialled on the Ipswich Motorway, and the speed limit on the Kuranda Range road in North Queensland was recently reduced to 60 km/h, with positive results.
Mr Mickel said speeding continued to be a major killer on Queensland roads. He said 95 people died in speed-related crashes last year, accounting for 26 per cent of the road toll.
"I'd urge local drivers and all motorists to look out for the road signs and be aware of the change of speed limit on these roads. I also remind motorists that these reduced speed limits will be enforced," Mr Mickel said.
"Ultimately, the new speed limits have been introduced to improve road safety and reduce the risk of communities having to deal with traumatic results of speed-related crashes."
Mr Pitt said reducing the speed limit from 100km/h to 90km/h would only add an extra four seconds of travelling time per kilometre, but could make a big difference to the road roll.
"The cost in terms of travelling time is small, but the potential benefit to the community, with a reduction in road trauma, is enormous,” he said.
"The reduction in speed limit will be rigorously enforced by the police, to ensure that it is taken seriously by all motorists."
Mr Pitt said there were, on average, 11,500 vehicles per day using the road, with 12 per cent being heavy vehicles (including Type 1 road trains).
"A number of intersections on the section of highway also have a high volume of turning traffic, including heavy vehicles," he said.
"In similar circumstances, Main Roads also reduced the speed limit from 100km/h to 90km/h on the Toowoomba Range 'up' lanes in April 2005, in response to the high number of rear-end crashes occurring on the road.
"In this particular example, lowering the speed limit to 90km/h resulted in a significant reduction in the number and severity of crashes on the road."
Mr Pitt said it was important to recognise that the speed limit reductions would be in place until further improvements were made and funding became available.
"The Queensland Government will continue to prioritise and allocate funding to roads where it is most needed and liaise with the Australian Government where federal funding is required," Mr Pitt said.
"There will be warning signs, letting motorists know they are entering a high-crash zone before the reduced speed limit section.
“New speed limit signs will also be installed," Mr Pitt said.
More information on the safety initiatives and the changed conditions can be found at www.mainroads.qld.gov.au and www.transport.qld.gov.au
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819