Speed limits of 30km/h could spread wider across Australia as one state hits the gas on more trials on busy local roads.
The Victorian government has announced funding grants to four councils for more 30km/h limit trials, including along Melbourne's popular Chapel Street and areas in Brunswick and Coburg.
City of Yarra has piloted 30km/h limits in parts of Fitzroy and Collingwood since 2018, while the NSW government has had 30km/h zones in Manly since 2020.
It is clear something needs to be done to protect vulnerable road users in busy areas, says Afshin Jafari, an expert specialising in computational methods to explore sustainable transport.
"The rate of severe injury is one in four at 40km/h impact speed and it's one in two or one in three at 50km/h," according to the RMIT research fellow.
