Research from RMIT shows that a car travelling 50km/h has about a one-in-10 chance of surviving, while at 30km/h it is a nine-in-10 chance
Reducing residential speed limits from 50km/h to 30 km/h would protect cyclists from danger and make riding less stressful while not causing traffic delays for cars, according to new research.
Researchers from RMIT University rated traffic stress levels for every road in greater Melbourne and modelled the effect of lower speed limits on bicycle and car travel.
Reducing the speed limit to 30km/h across residential areas doubled the amount of bike travel on low-stress streets – creating a safer environment for children and less confident cyclists, said the study’s lead researcher, Dr Afshin Jafari.
“Slowing traffic makes bicycle riding less stressful, encouraging more people to choose bikes as a safe and viable mode of transport,” Jafari said.
Many existing cycle routes – narrow paths on 60km/h roads – were highly stressful for bicycle riders, which is one of the main reasons people choose not to ride, he said.
Research showed that car travel was barely affected by the 30km/h limit, as it was only applied on local streets rather than the busier roads – such as main roads or highways – that were designed to maximise the flow of traffic.
Victoria has just enacted a new speed limit law allowing councils to propose 30km/h limits in school zones and local streets.
Each day in Melbourne, more than half of non-work trips by car are a “bikeable distance” of under 5km.
Lowering the speed limit would save lives and is a key reason why some countries – including the Netherlands, where 28% of all trips are by bike – have adopted 30km/h as a standard on residential streets.
Source: Switching 50km/h speed limits to 30km/h would protect cyclists while barely affecting commutes, research finds | The Guardian