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.

    Have your say

    Feedback has now closed on this proposal - thank you to everyone who took the time to review and provide feedback. Officers will review all feedback received and summarise key themes to brief internally, before communicating on next steps.