“How does Local Government protect it’s vulnerable road users?”

lower speed limits

Mornington Peninsula Shire

•Population 150,000

•swells to 200,000 in summer

•5 mill visitors p.a.

postcards

Peninsula DriveSafe

residential streets

Seventh Ave Rosebud Pde

268 casualty crashes - 5 years many pedestrians & cyclists

evidence based• 10 km/h drop in speed limit (50 to 40 km/h)• 5% drop in travel speeds (2.5 km/h)• 8-13% drop in SI crashes & fatalities (20 casualty

crashes)

40 area Rosebud

negative voices are the loudest

‘you could get out and walk faster’

‘ no one complies now -why will they comply to lower speed limits’

‘it is not reasonable to go to the nth degree to minimise risk’

‘will encourage a culture of disobeying the speed limits’

the plan

• Project development• External support / funding• Approval strategies• Communication plan• Implementation program• Evaluation trial project

external support

• ARRB• VicPol• MUARC• SSIG (Safe Speed Interest Group)–Heart Foundation• VicRoads• Specialised Consultants• TAC

Jessica Truong -Project Manager Road Safety TAC

approval strategies

• Know the processes and anticipate the challenges for each “Decision maker”

• Be politically savvy & have flexibility/negotiate/ compromise

• Evidence based proposals• Emphasize the facts- high crash rates• Gain community support• Establish credibility- use external expertise • Trial/stage –to get started

communication

• Developed communication plan• Brand identification• FAQs• Information to community- brochures• Gained community champions• All media types: web site/facebook• Engage press• Community events

engage the press

community events

David Gibb -Seawinds Ward Councillor

implementation program

• Regulatory signs• Repeater signs• contracts• Coordination with evaluation &

communication• Information signs• MOAs/VicRoads

evaluation

• ARRB/MUARC• Before & after speed studies:

– Community attitudes– Vehicle speeds– Travel time surveys

• Control sites• Reports

ARRB Group evaluation results

Carolyn Bradshaw –Behavioural Scientist AARB Group

telephone survey -residents“community acceptance to reduced speed limits”

19% against81% for

resident survey -response details

extra resident feedback

88% for

12% against

residents voices

‘this is a great concept for residents and safety’

‘we congratulate you and your fellow Councillors for your decision to introduce the safer speeds trial’

‘I am fully in agreement with lowering speed limits’

‘I feel safer in my street after the speed limit reductions’

residential speed survey40 Area

• Speed reductions:mean speeds 5%85ile% speeds 5%

• Control roads factored into speed reductions: mean speeds 2.5%85%ile speeds 3%

travel time surveys too

next challenges

• Further residential areas but with minimal LATM treatments

• Holistic approach e.g. “place making”• Assist drivers –vehicle road safety technologies

& again the reason why we did this ……

& what may assist to achieve safer travel speeds by speed limit

reductions

Identify crash trends or needsSound rationale e.g. evidence basedCommunication planExternal support

“Peninsula SaferSpeeds” trial results–out soon