1 www.bisa.asn.au No.217 Welcome to BISA’s monthly Pedal Update In our last Pedal Update we said that we would be producing our newsletter on a monthly basis from now on. Expect shorter, pithier documents that do what the title of the newsletter says update you on goings on in the world of bicycle advocacy. We will cover what we’ve been doing, what governments and others are doing, and provide some highlights from our social media activities. We hope to have one feature article in each issue. This month’s is about 40km/h speed limits on local streets; a topical issue given that Norwood, Payneham and St Peters in the east and Charles Sturt in the west are both looking to improve safety by lowering the speed limit on at least some of their streets. We’d love to have contributions from you. If you wish to write an article, tell us something that members might want to know, or just make a comment, please email us at [email protected]. What’s BISA been up to ... Road Safety Reference Group No immediate issues of interest were raised, but we had a chance to talk to the Minister for Road Safety expressing disappointment regarding the high degree of resident approval required to implement 40km/h in NPSP, especially given that the road safety strategy notes speed issues (as it is a council matter).
The latest news from The Bicycle Institute, SA. Our update on the world of bicycle advocacy. We will cover what we’ve been doing, what governments and others are doing, and provide some highlights from our social media activities.
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1
www.bisa.asn.au No.217
Welcome to BISA’s monthly Pedal Update In our last Pedal Update we said that we would be producing our newsletter on
a monthly basis from now on. Expect shorter, pithier documents that do what
the title of the newsletter says update you on goings on in the world of
bicycle advocacy. We will cover what we’ve been doing, what governments
and others are doing, and provide some highlights from our social media
activities.
We hope to have one feature article in each issue. This month’s is about
40km/h speed limits on local streets; a topical issue given that Norwood,
Payneham and St Peters in the east and Charles Sturt in the west are both
looking to improve safety by lowering the speed limit on at least some of their
streets.
We’d love to have contributions from you. If you wish to write an article, tell
us something that members might want to know, or just make a comment,
The following graphic is from the UK and relates to the speed limit on a road
rather than the collision speed shown in the above graph. Their speed limits
aren’t the same as ours, but the graphic gives a sense of the implications of speed
limits for our ageing population. The situation is similar for children.
Clearly, a government aspiring to zero road fatalities would insist that local
councils impose a 40km/h or, more likely, 30km/h speed limit on their streets.
But the opposite applies. Our State Government won’t let councils impose a
lower speed limit unless it has clear evidence of strong support from the
community, including the approval of two thirds of residents. It appears this
stance reflects concerns that motorists would find changing road speed limits
annoying and confusing.
The result is that only Unley has a council-wide 40km/h speed limit on its
residential streets. There are plenty of smaller areas that have 40km/h, where
we assume community support has been clear. (You’d think that the hodge
podge would only add to the “confusion”, wouldn’t you?)
What are we trading off if we go to 40km/h? Presumably “convenience” in this
case means speed in getting places. I recently did an experiment to see how
much convenience would be reduced if we moved to a lower speed limit.
Much of the Adelaide metro area is divided into blocks separated by arterial
roads spaced about 400m apart. We live near the Norwood Oval, in the middle of
one of these blocks. I wanted to see how long it would take me to drive to an
arterial road with different speed limits.
I drove 650m to Magill Road/ Sydenham Road intersection – the furthest point I
would normally drive to reach the arterial road network – at a maximum of
50km/h, 40km/h and 30km/h. I tried to reach my self-imposed speed limit as
soon as possible in each case, while still driving comfortably, and conducted my
experiment at night when other cars would not hold me up.
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At 40km/h, my 92-second trip time increased by 1 second, and at 30km/h, by
about 12-13 seconds.
40kph didn’t feel like a constraint at all. The real constraints were parked cars,
a one lane slow point near home and the roundabout at Beulah Road/
Sydenham Road.
30km/h did feel constraining (I went over 30km/h a bit on one occasion).
In other words, for a typical resident travelling to and from the arterial road
network, the convenience that would be traded off by a 40km/h speed limit
would be negligible. And even a 30km/h limit might mean half a minute to a
day’s commute – or reaching the next red light a little bit earlier. Yes, rat runners
driving all the way through a suburb might notice the speed limit more (they
always seem to be in a hurry), but why cater for the people who put themselves
before locals?
Not only is safety traded off with our preference for 50km/h speed limits. There
is also more car noise, less amenity, a perceived environment that discourages
cycling and more rat runners. The government knows this but wants the
community to support lower speeds before it does anything.
So it’s up to us to spread the word!
A.G.M. Yes, another year has passed, so here’s the formal notice
NOTICE OF AGM BISA Annual General Meeting
Conservation Centre
111 Franklin St, Adelaide
7.30pm, 12th May, 2015
We would love to have you on our Committee! Nomination forms will be available on the night or obtain one earlier by requesting from our Secretary [email protected]. But even if you’re not in a position to put your hand up for a formal role, come along to hear how BISA’s year has gone, to listen to our invited speaker, and to get to know the Committee.
Pedal Update is a newsletter of the Bicycle Institute of South Australia Inc., published monthly. The Bicycle Institute is incorporated in South Australia. Material published in Pedal Update is copyright unless otherwise stated. Articles and graphics may be copied and republished by non-profit organisations, provided the author and Pedal Update are given credit. Opinions published in Pedal Update are not necessarily those of the Bicycle Institute.
We are always looking for contributions. Send any stories, ideas or feedback to the [email protected]