Speed Limits Community Consultations

Townsville City Council is committed to improving our network of commuter assets and places high importance on investment that promotes and contributes to the health, wellbeing and safety of our community and the overall enjoyment of our city.

Council is aware that speed plays an important aspect in the effective management of our city's traffic network. The involvement of speed is a highly contributing factor in reportable crashes, near misses and accidents involving pedestrians and other users of the road network.

In November 2019, the process for the implementation of speed limits across Queensland was reviewed and updated with the introduction of a new speed limit area named 'High Active Transport User Area' (HATUA). The implementation of a HATUA zone can be applied to an area where:

• there is a significant number of pedestrians commuting adjacent the road for a key period of the day;
• there is a high demand for pedestrians to cross the road for a key period of the day;
• there is a significant number of cyclists that travel along the road during key periods of the day;
• it is expected that any of the above would increase in the near future; and/or
• any combination of the above.

Road corridors through the HATUA can be considered for the implementation of a revised speed limit are zones that are considered recreational areas, such as shorelines and esplanades, hospital zones and entertainment areas.

Council has identified the following roads throughout the city that require speed limit reducing based under the HATUA:

• Gregory Street - between the boundaries of The Strand and Eyre Street: 40km/h;
• Mitchell Street - between the boundaries of Kennedy Street and Leichardt Street: 40km/h;
• Palmer Street - between the boundaries of Dean Street and Archer Street: 40km/h;
• Plume Street - between the boundaries of Palmer Street and Mcilwraith Street - 40km/h;
• Armand Way - between the boundaries of Arcadia Village Hotel through to 24 Armand Way - 40km/h; and
• Horseshoe Bay Road - 200m covering the entry/exit through to The Forts - 40km/h.

The identified roads through the HATUA process require speed limit reduction to 40km have been endorsed by the Speed Limit Committee with representation from Queensland Police Services, Department of Transport and Main Roads and Council.

Please note that Council will also implement a signed speed limit within the Little Fletcher Street carpark from existing 50km/h down to an appropriate safe speed of 20km/h.

• Little Fletcher Street Carpark - adjacent Townsville Central - 20km/h;

How can you get involved?

Council values community feedback on the imposed Speed Limit restrictions that have been endorsed as above and invites all of our community including visitors to our region to submit their feedback via a short feedback form found at the bottom of this page.

How long is the consultation period?

Community Consultation for the Speed Restrictions opens Monday, 8 June and will conclude on Friday, 3 July 2020

Once the speed limit is approved and implemented, it will be evaluated, monitored and reviewed to ensure traffic flow remains effective and the community within respective zones remain safe and incident-free.