Another major highway will see its speed limit reduced as road authorities attempt to overhaul regional roads across the state.
Transport for NSW announced a change to an eight-kilometre section of the Great Western Highway, which travels through the Blue Mountains in the state’s west.
Currently, the speed limit between Faulconbridge and Linden is 80km/h, except for an eastbound section that is limited to 60km/h for trucks and buses.
The speed limit will be reduced to 70km/h from next month, “for the safety of all road users” travelling through the area, authorities said.
The speed limit change is part of a major overhaul of NSW regional roads.
Earlier this month, the decision to lower the speed limit on the Mitchell Highway between Dubbo and Wellington was met with fierce backlash from angry locals who say slower speeds is not the answer.
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The announced change is in response to community concern regarding the number of road crashes on this stretch of the Great Western Highway running through the NSW Blue Mountains.
(Google Maps)
The announced change between Faulconbridge and Linden is in response to community concern regarding the number of road crashes in the area.
The Great Western Highway is a key regional route linking Sydney with the state’s Central West. It passes through a number of small towns and villages in the Blue Mountains
Lower speed limits introduced to address road toll
Transport for NSW said the stretch of road between Faulconbridge and Linden experienced a high number of crashes, particularly in wet conditions.
“The new speed limit to come into effect on this 8.1-kilometre stretch will better match the access density, crash history and risk profile of this section of the Great Western Highway,” Transport for NSW Executive Director Damien Pfeiffer said.
Community members also raised concerns about the lack of a highway shoulder for cyclists, sight distances, and intersection queueing, Pfeiffer confirmed.
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“All factors were considered, along with the regular changes in road environment as motorists travel along the highway and the need to strike a balance between safety and efficient travel times through the mountains,” he said.
The changes will be in effect by July 23, with the installation of new signage, and line-marking to start this week.
Why there is debate over regional speed limit changes
Debate over rural road speed limits gathered momentum last year with road safety advocates and some local government groups pushing for lower default limits on regional roads not built to modern safety standards.
The discussion has sparked fierce backlash from some motorists and regional communities, with critics arguing reduced limits would increase travel times and unfairly target rural drivers.
Speed signs along a stretch of Hazelwood Road near Churchill, about a 2-hour drive east of Melbourne, have been sawn off or painted over in protest of reduced speed limits.
(ABC/Google maps)
In Churchill, Victoria, several road signs were deliberately vandalised in what police believe is an act of protest against reduced speed limits on country roads.
In NSW, residents in the Dubbo region also oppose speed limit reductions.
Many say that addressing road conditions should be a priority, including fixing the poor condition of some regional roads.
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