Fed-up residents want West Tamar Highway slashed to 80km/h

A three-kilometre section of the West Tamar Highway between Riverside and Legana has long been signposted as 100km/h.

However, a group of Danbury Drive residents say the speed limit is dangerous for local traffic and creates significant noise pollution.

Group leader Ken Murray says motorists turning right onto the highway from Danbury Drive had only seconds to react to traffic travelling over the hill near Tranquillity Estate.

He says he's sick of being abused by motorists who have to slow down behind him when he pulls out onto the highway.

"[You can't merge quickly enough] unless you have a Tesla or a Ferrari," he said.

"It's unsafe because children have to try and cross that to get to their buses and it's unsafe for residents trying to drive out of here.

"There's no rationale for that not be a lower speed limit."

There are 57 homes between Tamar Wetlands and the Acropolis Drive roundabout.

Some of the properties were built decades before the highway grew to four lanes in the mid-2000s.

West Tamar mayor Christina Holmdahl said she had visited Danbury Drive during morning peak hour and understood the residents' concerns.

"I sat there and agreed with them that the noise level was terrible," she said

"The surface of the road does create a very high level of noise."

Cr Holmdahl said she could see the logic in applying a more consistent speed limit between Riverside and Legana.

"I'm not a traffic engineer, but it seems to me that there is a very short length of road that is 100km/h with 70 on one side and 80 on the other," she said.

"If it went from 70km/h at Cormiston Road to 80km/h then you would have 80km/h all the way through to almost the roundabout at Freshwater Point Road."

Reducing the speed limit by 20km/h would add an extra 27 seconds to motorists travelling along the 3km stretch of highway.

The Commissioner for Transport is responsible for changes to speed limits in Tasmania.

The Department of State Growth said speed limits along the West Tamar Highway were in alignment with the Tasmanian Speed Zoning Guidelines.

"We reviewed the speed limits in the area and determined that they are appropriate for this length of road, and that there is little justification to lower them," a Department spokesperson said.

"While avoiding excessive changes in speed limits is a consideration in setting limits, our review found the three speed limit zones along this section of West Tamar Highway between Riverside and Legana were appropriate based on the conditions and levels of roadside development."

Mr Murray has expressed concerns that Danbury Drive is zoned 'residential' by local government and the land office, but the nearby highway has the speed limit of a 'rural' area.

The Department said zoning for speed limits and land use had different objectives and criteria.

"The 100km/h section of the West Tamar Highway is considered a rural road for speed limit purposes because it does not pass through a built-up area," the spokesperson said.

"Most residences along this section do not have direct access to the highway and the few that do are left-in and left-out access only."

Mr Murray has met with federal and state politicians from both major parties on the issue.

He hopes authorities will at least erect signage to inform motorists that they are driving through a residential area.

"None of us here can walk to the Wetlands and people can't commute on their bikes into work," he said.

"It's a safe road to drive on in a lateral transit position - it is not a safe road for those of us who have to get on and off it every day."