Local traffic precincts

To assist Victorian municipalities with the development of techniques to reduce vehicle speeds in local streets, the road traffic authority conducted a series of local traffic precinct trials. The objective of the trials was to determine the effectiveness of local traffic precincts in lowering vehicle speeds in local streets, in order to improve the safety and environmental amenity of the streets. The establishment of a local traffic precinct involved the installation of gateway treatments at all access points to the precinct, the installation of physical devices within the precinct and the erection of local traffic precinct signs with a 40 km/h speed limit. The trials were conducted in local areas of ten Melbourne municipalities from November 1985 to January 1986. Surveys of vehicle speeds were conducted in each local traffic precinct both before and after the installation of local traffic precinct signs and 40 km/h speed limits. The surveys indicated that the implementation of local traffic precincts with lower speed limits is unlikely to achieve reductions in vehicle speeds without the introduction of physical changes to streets. Surveys of adult's and children's perceptions of vehicle speeds and safety indicated that most adults and children living in these areas felt safer and perceived improved amenity in their streets after the local traffic precincts were implemented. Guidelines for the installation of local traffic precincts have been prepared emphasising the need for physical controls to reduce local street speeds. Local traffic precinct signs incorporating 40 km/h speed limit have been approved in Victoria to complement these physical controls (a).