40 kilometre per hour (km/h) area town centre trial

Community Consultation

In August 2011 Roads ACT introduced 40km/h speed areas in the Woden and Gungahlin Town Centres as part of a trial to help improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users. The trial has run for six months (August 2011 to January 2012) operating on a full time basis (24 hours a day, seven days a week).

Evaluation of the trial will now be undertaken to determine the effectiveness of the 40km/h speed area in improving safety for vulnerable road users. As part of this process community feedback is invited from traders, shoppers and road users. Speed, traffic volumes and pedestrian surveys will also be conducted.

To provide your feedback please complete the online survey.

Hardcopies of the survey are available at the Woden and Gungahlin Libraries as well as the Woden Canberra Connect Shopfront.

Consultation closes at 5 pm on Wednesday 29 February 2012.

Objectives of the evaluation

Objectives of the evaluation are to:

determine if speeds are reduced in the trial area;
determine if the trial results in increased pedestrian and/or cyclist numbers;
determine if a reduced speed limit is supported by residents, businesses and employees;
assess the acceptance of details of the 40km/h areas, including the boundaries, hours of operation, traffic calming treatments and signage; and
identify any undesirable impacts of the trial.

Project background

Roads ACT have been investigating the potential of a 40km/h area around shopping centres and community facilities in the ACT to improve levels of safety, especially for cyclists and pedestrians. The investigation has shown that the introduction of 40km/h area have significant road safety benefits.

Suitable locations for the introduction of 40km/h areas were identified as centres where there is:

a high level of pedestrian movement and;
a minimum 400 metres of retail and commercial development along local roads.

Roads ACT identified Woden and Gungahlin town centres as suitable locations for the 40km/h area trials.

Safety benefits

Research shows that the introduction of a 40km/h area significantly reduces the risk of death for vulnerable road users. A 10km/h decrease in speed can reduce the risk of death from approximately 80% (50km/h) to 30% (40km/h). That is a 50% reduction in the risk of death for pedestrians and cyclists.

Risk of death to a pedestrian or cyclist as a function of impact speed
Source: Anderson R, McLean A, Farmer M, Lee B, & Brooks C. (1997).

40km/h area boundaries

Parts of the Woden and Gungahlin Town Centres were studied to determine the most appropriate areas for the 40km/h trial.

To determine the boundaries for the 40km/h area the following research was undertaken:

pedestrian and cyclist counts
speed surveys and;
an analysis of pedestrian and cyclist crash data within the town centres.

Analysis of this information resulted in parts of the town centres being selected for the trial.

Woden Town Centre

Woden was chosen as it is a well-established town centre with offices, shops and small businesses and a high level of pedestrian activity.

The pedestrian, cyclist and speed survey showed that having at least 60 pedestrians or cyclists per hour was sufficient to include a street in the 40km/h speed area.

Woden 40km/h area

Gungahlin Town Centre

Although a relatively new town centre, Gungahlin is rapidly developing. Within the Gungahlin Town Centre there is a mix of shops, offices, open space, leisure and entertainment and community facilities. This results in relatively high levels of pedestrian activity and a centre which is suitable for the installation of a 40km/h area.

The pedestrian, cyclist and speed survey showed that having at least 50 pedestrians or cyclists per hour was enough to include a street in the 40km/h speed area.

Gungahlin 40km/h area

How has the trial been implemented?

Traffic calming measures such as speed humps were installed in the core retail areas of Woden and Gungahlin as well as signage erected to alert people to the changed traffic conditions.

Traffic calming treatments	Signage

Next steps

If the trial is successful, 40km/h areas will be made permanent in the Woden and Gungahlin Town Centres. The reduced speed limit may also be introduced in other major town centre precincts.