Proposal

Council is proposing to reduce the speed limit around the Woodend township. This project is fully funded through the Victorian Government's Safe Local Roads and Streets Program, to improve road safety.

The program adopts a Safe System Approach, which focuses on designing and improving roads to reduce crash severity and improve safety by addressing human error and the road environment. The program is a collaborative effort between local governments, the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP), and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC).

Proposed Works

A township-wide speed limit reduction will greatly enhance safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and all road users, with studies showing that reducing speed limits has the potential to decrease fatalities by more than 50 per cent (50km/h to 40km/h).

Lowering speed limits reduces the severity of collisions. Additionally, slower speeds allow for better reaction times, helping drivers avoid accidents and ensuring greater safety for vulnerable road users. This project will transform streets into safer, more liveable spaces, encouraging more people to utilise active transport options while promoting a safer driving culture.

The project was identified based on the following considerations:

  • Council's Mobility and Road Safety Strategy 2023-2032¸ Strategic Theme 2: Improving Safety and Mobility in and around towns
  • Recommendations from the Woodend Integrated Transport Plan
  • The high volume of pedestrian traffic in the business activity area, as well as public transport, supports the need for a low-speed environment to enhance safety.

    • Proposed roads

    The proposed speed reduction is limited to the core business and activity area, comprising the following roads and proposed lowered speed limits (see map below):
    • Jeffreys Street (Forest Street to Anslow Street)
    • Collier Street (Forest Street to Anslow Street)
    • Urquhart Street (Schaw Street to Templeton Street)
    • Anslow Street (Jeffreys Street to Templeton Street)
    • Collier Street (Forest Street to Anslow Street)
    • Nicholson Street (Forest Street to Anslow Street)
    • Forest Street (Jeffreys Street to High Street, and High Street to Nicholson Street)
    • High Street (Forest Street to Brooke Street)
    • Brooke Street (High Street to Wood Street)
    A map showing proposed speed limit reductions to roads around Woodend.

    A map showing proposed speed limit reductions to roads around Woodend. This includes traffic count data that helped to inform these decisions.

    Project Benefits

    The proposed work will provide the following benefits to the broader community:

    Lowering speed limits helps reduce the likelihood of accidents, especially those involving pedestrians and cyclists.

    The slower vehicles are moving, the less forceful the impact in case of a collision, which reduces both the severity and frequency of accidents.

    A study by the Curtin-Monash Accident Research Centre showed that speed contributed to the severity of road crashes and resulting injuries, especially for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians or cyclists.

    The study found that by reducing the speed limit from 50km/h to 40km/h, the chance of a fatal injury is reduced by more than half (from 80% to 26%).

    Slower-moving vehicles make people feel safer walking and cycling. With reduced speeds, pedestrians have more time to cross streets safely, especially at busy intersections.

    This enhances safety and encourages healthier lifestyles by promoting walking and cycling.

    Safer streets encourage people to participate more in activities such as walking, relaxing outdoors, or interacting with neighbours.

    October 2025 update

    Thank you to all who contributed feedback on Council’s proposal for area-wide speed reductions in Woodend. We appreciate the strong engagement on the speed reduction project and we received 193 submissions in total.

    Submitters supported consistent lower limits, noting the benefits of a uniform 40km/h zone for pedestrian safety and the township environment. Concerns centred on possible congestion, economic impacts, and the need for crossings, footpaths, and intersection upgrades. Council acknowledges these points and will continue to seek capital works and funding opportunities, while traffic data confirms most roads already operate below the proposed limits, meaning minimal impact on efficiency but clear safety gains.

    Council will now proceed with the implementation of the reduced limits, with signage planned to be installed in the near future once final approval is received from the Department of Transport and Planning as the speed zoning authority. These works are being delivered as part of the Victorian State Government funded Safe Local Roads and Streets Program.

    We thank you again for your engagement and ongoing support in shaping safer, more liveable streets in Woodend.

    If you have any further questions on these proposals or how your individual submission was considered, email the Engineering Services team at engineeringservices@mrsc.vic.gov.au