A proposal to reduce speed limits through Launceston gets council tick

The City of Launceston council has been reviewing the limits on several roads, including several through the city centre, in a bid to improve pedestrian safety and make the area more "liveable, healthy and connected".

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Councillor Andrea Dawkins, who moved the motion to accept the recommendations made by the council's transport committee said the decision would "return" public spaces to the community.

"We want to be able to return our community to people," she said.

"This is a part of a trend around our country and around the developed world to understand exactly what it is our community wants, and how we can make cars and people in cars a part of how we use our city but not the primary focus.

"This isn't the only solution, but it is an integral part of ensuring that our city is for our people."

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Sections of roads including Brisbane Street, Cameron Street, Paterson Street will be reduced from 50kmh to 40kmh, while others like parts of Elphin Road will be reduced from 60kmh to 50kmh.

Hugh McKenzie said while this seemed like a substantial change, it was important to remember the impact would be negligible and asked council officers what the difference in travel times might be.

"I think we get het up (about speed limits)," Cr McKenzie said.

"Think about it in time. What sort of time are people going to have to actually lose ... as a result of that reduction in speed limits."

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The answer given was that, using the section of Hobart Road through the Kings Meadows Shopping Zone as an example, about four seconds would be added to travel times.

Acting mayor Matthew Garwood said consultation on the proposed changes had garnered broad support from the public and other stakeholders, and would be more in line with community expectations.

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"A realistic speed limit reflects the speed a motorist would expect to drive in a road environment based on the mix of traffic, the presence of pedestrians, the density of abutting development and the complexity of traffic movements," he said.

"The technical basis for the proposed speed limit reduction is supported by the Tasmanian Speed Zoning Guidelines.

"Organisations including Tasmania Police, the Road Safety Advisory Council, the Department of State Growth, the RACT, Metro Tasmania and the Tasmanian Transport Council have all indicated their support for the move."

The council will now write to the State Transport Commissioner recommending the following speed limits be changed from 60kmh to 50kmh:

The council will also request speed limits be reduced from 50kmh to 40kmh on the following roads:

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