Lower speed limits near Kithbrook Park rejected

REGIONAL Roads Victoria (RRV) has knocked back a request from the Surf Coast Shire to lower speed limits by 10 kmh on three roads near Kithbrooke Park in Torquay, partially because it is expected drivers will exceed the new limits anyway.

In May 2018, a petition with 97 signatures supporting reducing the speed limit on Ghazeepore Road between Coomes and Grossmans roads – which largely borders the retirement village – from 80kmh to 50kmh was lodged with the shire.

Following an initial traffic assessment based on VicRoads Speed Zoning guidelines, shire officers indicated that a 50kmh speed limit would likely not to be supported by VicRoads.

At their July 24 meeting, councillors resolved to carry out a speed limit review of the wider precinct area including Coombes Road and Grossmans Road up to and including the section
of Ghazeepore Road between them.

The shire then requested in-principle support from RRV for a 70kmh speed limit for the precinct.

According to the report presented to councillors at their meeting last week, RRV reviewed the request and confirmed “the current guidelines are limited in their support of installing new 70kmh zones”.

“RRV indicated that the speed limit should be set so that it is consistent with speed limits of roads in a similar environment with similar characteristics and function.

“Roads consistent within the Surf Coast Shire with the environment of Coombes, Ghazeepore and Grossmans roads are currently 80kmh speed limits and it is unlikely these roads will get compliance at a reduced speed limit.

“The current 80kmh speed is clear on these roads, is easily understood by the road users and considered appropriate and should remain as is.”

Cr Heather Wellington said there were genuine concerns about speeds in the area, and the council should be doing more.

“I would like to think that the council itself would not just act as a passer-on of a request and a passer-back of a response but would actually, having formed a view that 70kmh is appropriate, take a stronger advocacy perspective on behalf of this community, and I’ll certainly try to do that individually in the future.”