Reducing speed limits not the answer: MP

A STATE government proposal to reduce speed limits on some rural roads, rather than fix them, has come under attack from Gippsland South MP, Danny O’Brien.

The state government has supported a parliamentary committee recommendation that speed limits on rural roads be reduced where an upgrade is “not possible”.

“This is a state government that believes Victoria ends at Pakenham and its spending priorities show that,” Mr O’Brien said.

“The Labor government is spending $54 billion on just four metropolitan projects as well as many billions more on others, yet we can’t get funding for decent rural roads.”

Mr O’Brien said the state of rural and regional roads is the top issue he hears about
from constituents.

He argues that while road safety is a key priority, reducing speed limits to 80km per hour or less was not the solution.

The parliamentary committee recommendation proposes the state government review speed limits on all rural and regional roads to identify unsafe roads with low traffic volumes, with reducing speeds seen as an effective way to increase safety on such roads.

Spending priority for road improvements could be given to roads with high traffic volumes.

The Department of Transport is developing a Network Safety Plan to help determine which roads will need infrastructure investments and which could be managed through reduced speed limits.