A significant reduction in crashes at key intersections in Canberra's city centre since the speed limit was reduced justifies the switch to a 40kmh zone, the ACT government has said.
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The territory has collected nearly $40 million in revenue from fines issued in the zone in less than two years, far outstripping revenue collected from other fixed and mobile speed cameras and exceeding forecasts.
But the number of crashes on the Northbourne Avenue, Barry Drive and Cooyong Street intersections in the 40kmh zone fell by 68 per cent in the 10 months after the limit was enforced, compared to the 10 months prior.
![A speed limit reduction on Northbourne Avenue, pictured, contributed to a drop in crashes in the area. Picture by Karleen Minney A speed limit reduction on Northbourne Avenue, pictured, contributed to a drop in crashes in the area. Picture by Karleen Minney](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/35sFyBanpD896MKnAH5FRtj/b32660ba-16fe-4caa-b52a-d9aa0da42397.jpg/r0_544_5568_3687_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The speed limit was reduced from 60kmh to 40kmh in the zone, which is covered by three speed cameras, in March 2021, with fines enforced from July 2021.
Preliminary reported crash data shows 73 total crashes in the area between September 2020 and June 2021, with 23 crashes from July 2021 to April 2022.
Six crashes causing injury were reported in the area in the 10 months to June 2021, with none reported in the 10 months after the speed limit was reduced.
Five crashes involved vulnerable road users - including pedestrians, cyclists or scooter riders - in the period before the limit changed, with only two reported in the 10 months after the change.
The number of crashes that only caused property damage fell from 67 before the limit was reduced to 23 in the 10 months afterwards, a fall of 66 per cent.
The National Roads and Motorists' Association on Tuesday said the high number of fines issued in the city centre 40kmh speed zone was staggering and showed it had failed to make the roads safer.
Nearly 4000 infringements a month have been detected by the cameras on Northbourne Avenue and Barry Drive in the first four months this year, around 20 times the average before the limit changed.
In the first four months of 2021, before the speed limit was reduced, the same cameras detected an average 207 infringements a month.
The ACT government had collected $38,370,053 in infringements from fines issued between July 1, 2021 and March 31, 2023.
More than 20,000 drivers were pinged in a three-month grace period from March 23, 2021, when the speed limit was changed in the area from 60kmh to 40kmh. More than 1200 people were caught speeding in the zone on the first day fines were issued on July 1, 2021.
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Australasian College of Road Safety chief executive Dr Ingrid Johnston in January said she backed the decision to reduce the speed limit on the road but flashing signs could help warn motorists.
"I think the flashing signs would be very helpful and it would be worth looking at how much of a difference they would make," Dr Johnston said.
"And I think the combination of having painted on the road itself and then doing something like flashing signs would probably get you pretty close.
"But outside of that, it does become very difficult if the infrastructure itself is that bigger, separated road that you would instinctively think you could be going faster [on]."
A spokeswoman for the ACT government at the time said the territory had installed more signage than was required under the Australian standard in the 40kmh zone.
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