FAQs

The Safe Local Roads and Streets Program is a Victorian Government road safety program delivered in partnership with local councils.

Latrobe City Council has received funding through the program to deliver road safety improvements across the municipality.

The current Safe Local Roads and Streets infrastructure projects involve physical road safety treatments at selected locations. This supplementary project is separate and focuses specifically on proposed speed limit changes on selected local roads.

We are reviewing whether the existing speed limits on selected roads remain appropriate for the way those roads function and the environments they pass through.

A range of factors is considered, including residential access, intersections, surrounding land use, pedestrian and vehicle activity, existing speed limits, crash risk and opportunities to create a safer and more consistent road environment.

No.

The proposed speed limit changes are being considered as road safety measures and are not related to the condition, maintenance or quality of the road surface.

Road maintenance is managed separately from this project.

Lower vehicle speeds provide drivers with more time to recognise and respond to other vehicles and hazards and reduce the distance required to slow or stop.

Speed also affects the amount of energy involved in a collision. If a crash cannot be avoided, a collision at a lower speed generally involves less impact energy and therefore a lower potential for serious injury.

This is particularly relevant to vehicle-to-vehicle crashes at T-intersections, side streets and driveways, where one vehicle may be entering or crossing the path of another.

A reduction from 60 km/h to 50 km/h may be considered where the surrounding road environment, residential access and level of activity are more consistent with a lower-speed environment.

Although the difference is 10 km/h, travelling at the lower speed gives drivers additional time and distance to respond when another vehicle enters their path.

This may be particularly beneficial for residents entering or leaving driveways and for vehicles turning into or out of local side streets and T-intersections.

If a collision does occur, the lower travelling speed also reduces the energy involved in the impact and the potential severity of the crash.

The review is not necessarily being undertaken because drivers are exceeding the existing speed limit.

The purpose is to consider whether the posted speed limit itself is appropriate for the road environment and the types of interactions occurring along it.

Even where most drivers comply with the existing limit, a lower speed environment may provide additional time to respond to vehicles entering from driveways or side streets and reduce the consequences if a collision occurs.

Your local experience is important, which is why we are asking residents and property owners for feedback before the proposals progress.

No.

The identified speed limit changes are currently proposals.

We are first seeking feedback from residents and property owners directly affected by the proposed changes.

Feedback received during this stage may result in individual proposals being retained, modified or removed before broader community consultation takes place.

People who live on or own property along these roads use them regularly and have valuable local knowledge about traffic movements, driveway access, intersections, vehicle speeds and road safety issues.

We want to understand this experience before determining which proposals should progress to broader community consultation.

You can tell us whether you support or do not support the proposed change and why.

You may also wish to provide information about:

• your experience entering or leaving your property
• T-intersections or side streets
• traffic speeds and vehicle movements
• crashes or near misses
• pedestrian or cycling activity
• any other local road safety concern

All feedback will be reviewed.

Community feedback is one of the factors we will consider alongside road safety information and the characteristics and function of the road.

Following this initial consultation, individual proposals may be retained, modified or removed before broader community engagement.

Not necessarily.

We are currently investigating a number of possible speed limit changes. The purpose of this initial consultation is to help determine which proposals should progress.

The final project scope will be refined following consideration of resident feedback and road safety information.

We are undertaking consultation in stages.

The first stage focuses on residents and property owners who would be directly affected by a proposed change.

Once this feedback has been reviewed and the project scope refined, the proposed changes progressing to the next stage will be presented as part of broader community consultation.

Yes. Following the initial resident consultation and review of the proposals, we intend to undertake broader community engagement on the refined project.

This will provide the wider community with an opportunity to view and comment on the proposals before they are finalised.

No changes will occur as part of this initial consultation.

Timing for implementation will be confirmed once consultation has been completed, the project scope has been finalised, and the necessary approvals have been obtained.

Who is funding the project?

The project is funded through the Transport Accident Commission's Safe Local Roads and Streets Program and is being delivered by Latrobe City Council.

Where can I get more information?

For further information, contact Latrobe City Council:

EngineeringServices@latrobe.vic.gov.au
1300 367 700