Proposal to extend reduced speed limit gets thumbs down

The New South Wales Government has rejected a proposal from the Pedestrian Council of Australia to expand 40 kilometre an hour school speed zones to 10 hours a day.

The expanded times were one of the measures proposed in response to a road safety report which showed up to 70 per cent of drivers speed in school zones.

The council's Harold Scruby says the statistic in the NRMA safety audit report is disgusting.

He says fixed speed cameras and flashing lights should be installed around all school zones to improve safety and discourage motorists from breaking the law.

"These can be funded by the motorists who don't want to slow down in these zones, it'll be a voluntary tax," Mr Scruby said.

Paul Willoughby from the Roads and Traffic Authority says it is reviewing signage at the school zones and evaluating the merits of the existing fixed speed cameras, but he has ruled out expanding school zones to between 7:00am and 5:00pm.

"It would increase the likelihood that motorists would disregard those zones," he said.