Victorians could soon face a dramatic change to suburban driving, with speed limits set to be slashed to 30km/h if new recommendations are accepted.
Infrastructure Victoria, the state’s independent advisory body, has proposed the move as part of a strategy to improve safety and adapt to the state's rising population. The idea has sparked immediate debate among drivers and road users across the state.
Dylan Anderson
Why 30km/h Could Become the New Normal
Dr Jonathan Spear, Chief Executive of Infrastructure Victoria, argued that lower speeds would drastically reduce fatalities and serious injuries.
“A pedestrian struck by a car travelling at 50km/h has an 85 per cent chance of dying. At 30km/h, that risk drops to just 10 per cent,” Dr Spear said.
The plan would first target areas frequently visited by children, like school zones and playgrounds, before a wider rollout across suburban streets.
Trial Zones Already Rolling Out
Melbourne’s City of Yarra has already trialled 30km/h zones across Fitzroy and Collingwood. Similar moves have been seen in Sydney, Adelaide, and the Gold Coast, with councils looking to follow the global trend toward safer local streets.
Dr Spear argued that the slower speeds would have “minimal impact” on travel times but could “significantly” cut deaths and injuries.
Dylan Anderson
Experts Say Australia Is Falling Behind
Dr Lauren Pearson from Monash University’s Sustainable Mobility and Safety Research Group called the move one of the most cost-effective ways to save lives.
“We have seen the effect of these speed zones in places such as Wales, Canada, Scotland, Colombia and across Europe,” Dr Pearson said.
She pointed to Toronto, where serious injuries dropped by 67 per cent after introducing 30km/h zones.
“Yet, here in Australia, we’re well behind,” she said.
Infrastructure Victoria estimates the cost of reducing speed limits, including new signage and footpath improvements, would be between $35 and $45 million.
Rising Road Deaths Add Pressure
The push comes as road deaths rise sharply nationwide. In 2024, 1,300 people died on Australian roads, the highest toll since 2012, according to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE).
Authorities say bold actions like reducing speed limits are crucial to meeting Australia's targets to halve road deaths by 2030.
Dylan Anderson
What Happens Next?
Infrastructure Victoria’s report recommends that work on the changes should begin within five years. The Victorian government will now consider whether to accept the recommendations as it plans for the future of transport across the state.
The proposal has already stirred controversy among drivers, raising the question: will saving lives outweigh the public’s resistance to slower streets?
Dylan Anderson
Dylan Anderson
