Maurice, Hindmarsh Road speed limit will stay at 60km/h
A push by Councillor Tom Haig to have the limit reduced has fallen short.
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A push for lower speed limits on one of the main routes through Murray Bridge has failed in the city’s council chamber.
At a meeting on Monday night, Councillor Tom Haig argued that the speed limit should be reduced from 60 to 50 kilometres per hour on Hindmarsh and Maurice Roads and Cypress Terrace.
The three roads make up the main freight route through Murray Bridge.
A number of councillors have been pushing for through traffic to be diverted around the built-up area to ease residents’ concerns about truck traffic, but Cr Haig said a stop-gap measure was needed in the interim.
“This is an accident waiting to happen,” he said.
“People are crossing this road in fear of their lives.
“(Lowering the speed limit) is the least we can do.”
Because the roads went through residential areas, they should be subject to the 50km/h speed limit which applied in built-up areas throughout South Australia, he said.
Cr Andrew Baltensperger agreed, though he noted that SA Police would need to be prepared to enforce any lower limit.
But there was plenty of opposition to the idea.
Cr Clem Schubert pointed out that freight routes in Adelaide, such as Portrush or Cross Roads, were all 60km/h.
Cr Airlie Keen said she sympathised with residents, but that slowing trucks down would not have nearly the same impact as re-directing them out of town.
Worse, she said, lowering the speed limit would probably just result in more local people getting speeding fines.
“I don’t want to support anything that’s going to put extra financial pressure on local families at this point in time, knowing we’re already searching for a bigger solution,” she said.
By a 7-2 vote, councillors decided to leave the speed limit alone for now.
