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The Sun-Herald – Sunday 14 November 2004 CBD set to slow down to 40 kmh By Sean Berry
City of It seems likely that following the submission period, which ends on December 6, the new zone will be introduced. "Lord Mayor Clover Moore strongly supports the proposal to improve safety and amenity for pedestrians in the city," a council spokesman said. "Unless specific concerns are identified during the public consultation period, the City of NSW Taxi Drivers Association president Michael Jools said the lower limit was acceptable only if it were restricted to the busiest time of day. "In the evening hours it would be unreasonable to restrict drivers to that speed in the wider boulevards of "I think there would be no objection to such restrictions in peak hours, but without time-qualitative rest periods it would be unfair on drivers." The council spokesman said pedestrian and cyclist safety was paramount, foreshadowing the council's opposition to such a suggestion. "Pedestrian safety is an issue outside peak hour," he said. "Peak vehicle periods are not the same as peak pedestrian periods such as Friday and Saturday nights in entertainment areas. "A lower speed limit won't mean longer trips through the CBD for taxis as traffic lights and congestion have the biggest impact on travel." The move was welcomed by Pedestrian Council of Australia chairman Harold Scruby. "We've been campaigning for over seven years to try to get a 40 kmh zone," he said. "We got a 40 kmh zone in "Rough statistics show that if pedestrians get hit at 40 kmh then one in 10 dies, at 50 kmh five in 10 die, and at 60 kmh nine in 10 die." © This work is copyright and is reproduced under licence from John airfax Holdings Limited
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