Speed limit changes
Speed limits are reviewed for many reasons, including requests from local council, Police, or the community, because of development, or due to changing road environments.
Speed limits can only be changed by the Commissioner for Transport.
The Commissioner will review a speed limit if they receive a speed limit change application from the relevant manager of that road such as the State Roads Division of the Department of State Growth, or by a local council.
What is considered when reviewing a speed limit?
Many things are looked at when a speed limit is reviewed, including:
- safety concerns
- crash history
- the condition of the road
- what the road is used for
- how many people use the road
- whether it is used by vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians
- the number of accesses and intersections
- compliance with AustRoads and engineering guidelines
- pedestrian activity around the road
- property surrounding the road area.
How do I request a speed limit review?
To request a review of a speed limit you must first submit your request to the relevant road owner.
If it the road is owned and managed the Department of State Growth, you can send your request to us at info@stategrowth.tas.gov.au.
We will assess the request and either deny or support it. If we support it, we will process it through to the Commissioner for Transport. The Commissioner will make the final decision whether to deny or approve the request.
To request a speed limit review on a council road, submit your request to your local council who will either deny or support the request. If supported, it will be processed by the Council and sent to the Commissioner for Transport.
1Recent speed limit changes
Tasman Highway
What is the decision?
The Commissioner for Transport has approved the following speed limit changes on the Tasman Highway between St Helens and Scamander.
- The existing 100 km/h speed limit on the Tasman Highway between St Helens and Beaumaris will be reduced to 90 km/h, a distance of 9.0 kilometres.
- The existing 80 km/h speed limit on the Tasman Highway through Beaumaris will be reduced to 70 km/h, a distance of 2.6 kilometres.
- The existing 100 km/h speed limit on the Tasman Highway between Beaumaris and Scamander will be reduced to 80 km/h, a distance of 1.3 kilometres.
What is the reason for the decision?
The reduced speed limits will improve safety for road users, pedestrians, and residents in the area. The crash history, the narrow and winding nature of sections of the road and the likelihood of pedestrians crossing the road to access the beach were key factors in the decision to lower the speed limits.
The speed limits on these sections of road were reviewed in response to representations by Break O’Day Council.
Updated: 10 April 2024.
Arthur Highway
What is the decision?
The Commissioner for Transport has approved a speed limit change on the Arthur Highway at Taranna.
The 70 km/h speed limit through Taranna will be extended by 500m to the south, ending just past the intersection with Camp Road.
What is the reason for the decision?
Reducing the existing 100 km/h speed limit to 70 km/h will provide safer access to and from the highway for residents living along this section. It will also provide more distance for vehicles travelling north on the highway to slow down ahead of the intersection with Nubeena Road.
The speed limit was reviewed in response to representations by the local community.
Updated: 5 April 2024.
Huon Highway
What is the decision?
The Commissioner for Transport has approved a speed limit change on the Huon Highway through the southern edge of Franklin.
The existing 60km/h speed limit through this section of road will be extended by 300 metres.
What is the reason for the decision?
The extended 60km/h zone will make the speed limit consistent throughout this section of road, improving safety for road users and pedestrians, and allowing drivers extra time to react to vehicles turning in or out of the driveways.
The speed limit was reviewed in response to concerns raised by the local community.
Updated: 16 February 2024
Tasman Highway, Nunamara
What is the decision?
The Commissioner for Transport has approved a speed limit change on Tasman Highway through the town of Nunamara.
The existing 70 km/h speed limit will be reduced to 60 km/h for 1.5 kilometres through the town.
What is the reason for the decision?
The new 60 km/h zone will improve safety for pedestrians, school children using the bus stop and vehicle movements around the general store.
The speed limit was reviewed in response to representations by the local community.
Updated: 31 January 2024
Cressy Road
What is the decision?
The Commissioner for Transport has approved a speed limit reduction for Cressy Road in the Cressy town centre.
The current 60km/h speed limit will be reduced to 50km/h on the entire 2.3-kilometre section through town.
What is the reason for the decision?
The decision to reduce the speed limit in Cressy is based on reported increases in visitors to a café and nearby parklet and at the outdoor swimming pool following its upgrade, resulting in more pedestrian activity in the area.
The lower speed limit will give drivers and pedestrians extra time to react and reduce the risk of crashes within the town. It will have a minimal impact on travel time and will improve safety for all road users.
The speed limit was reviewed following a request by the Northern Midlands Council on behalf of the Cressy Local District Committee.
Updated: 12 December 2023.
Zeehan Highway
What is the decision?
The Commissioner for Transport has approved a speed limit reduction for Zeehan Highway through the town centre of Zeehan.
The existing 60 km/h speed limit will be reduced to 50 km/h from south of Trial Harbour Road to south of Packer Street, a distance of 2.62 kilometres.
What is the reason for the decision?
The decision is based on the high level of interaction between traffic and pedestrians, including vulnerable road users visiting community facilities along the Zeehan main street, such as the Post Office, the RSL, and the Zeehan Primary School.
The road is also used by a high number of heavy vehicles.
The lower speed limit will give drivers and pedestrians extra time to react and reduce the risk of crashes within the town. It will have a minimal impact on travel time and will improve safety for all road users.
The speed limit was reviewed following a request by the West Coast Council on behalf of the local community.
Updated: 24 November 2023.
Tasman Highway
What is the decision?
The Commissioner for Transport has approved a speed limit reduction on two sections of the Tasman Highway.
- The speed limit at Rocky Hills, south of Swansea, will be reduced from 100 km/h to 80 km/h for a 4.2km section.
- The speed limit at Cherry Tree Hill, east of Cranbrook, will be reduced from 100 km/h to 80km/h for a 6.3km section.
What is the reason for the decision?
The decision to lower the speed limit was made based on the characteristics of the road, including the narrow, hilly and winding nature of both sections of the highway and the number of roadside hazards.
The most common crashes in this location are single vehicle loss-of-control type crashes. Lower speeds can typically be expected to reduce the likelihood of this type of crash.
The speed limit was reviewed after a request from the RACT.
Updated: 23 October 2023
Illawarra Road
What is the decision?
The Commissioner for Transport has approved speed limit changes on Illawarra Road between the Midland Highway interchange and Bishopsbourne Road near Longford.
The 100 km/h speed limit along this section will be reduced to 90 km/h.
A 2.4km section near the Longford roundabout, which currently has a limit of 80 km/h, will also be changed to 90km/h.
What is the reason for the decision?
The decision to change the speed limits follows a request by the Northern Midlands Council and the local community to lower the speed limit near the Pateena Road intersection from 100 km/h to 80 km/h.
Existing road conditions, intersections, accesses, crash history and speed limits on Illawarra Road were reviewed in making the decision.
There have been 25 reported crashes on this section of Illawarra Road in the last five years, including one fatal crash and four serious injury crashes.
The Tasmanian Speed Zoning Guidelines identify 90 km/h as an appropriate speed limit for this standard of rural highway with an elevated crash history.
Implementing a consistent 90 km/h limit will avoid repeated changes to the speed limit along this section of Illawarra Road, removing the potential for confusion and improving safety.
Updated: 26 September 2023
South Arm Road
What is the decision?
The Commissioner for Transport has approved a speed limit reduction for South Arm Road from just north of the Acton Road junction to the service station near Dona Road.
The speed limit will be changing from 70km/h to 60km/h on the 1.9km section.
What is the reason for the decision?
The decision to lower the speed limit was based on the characteristics of the road, and in particular the significant amount of traffic moving in and out of businesses on the eastern side of the road and the volume of traffic travelling through.
The 60km/h speed limit is supported by the Tasmanian Speed Zoning Guidelines.
The speed limit was reviewed following a request from the local community.
Updated: Friday, 22 September 2023
Channel Highway from Kettering to Deep Bay
What is the decision?
The Channel Highway will become 80 km/h all the way from Kettering to Deep Bay from next month (September 2023).
The Commissioner for Transport has approved a speed limit reduction on four sections of the highway to provide a consistent speed limit for the entire length.
The changed speed limit will come into effect once the new speed limit signs have been installed, which is scheduled for 21-25 August 2023. ‘New speed limit ahead’ signs will also be placed to warn road users of the change.
What is the reason for the decision?
The decision to lower the speed limits was based on the characteristics of the different sections of the road, including the winding nature of the road and to improve safety.
Drivers will now know that the speed limit along this whole stretch is 80 km/h when previously Kettering to Woodbridge, Woodbridge to Middleton, and Gordon and Verona Sands were 90 km/h and Charlotte Cove to Deep Bay was 100 km/h.
Middleton to Gordon and Verona Sands to Charlotte Cove were already 80 km/h.
The speed limits on these sections were reviewed after a motorcycle road safety audit of the Channel Highway from Margate to Verona Sands and a request from the community.
Updated 15 August 2023
Gordon River Road
What is the decision?
The Commissioner for Transport has approved a speed limit reduction on a 1.9-kilometre section of Gordon River Road through Fitzgerald.
The current speed limit of 80 km/h will be reduced to 70 km/h, bringing this section of Gordon River Road into line with other sections of the state road network.
The changed speed limit will come into effect once the new speed limit signs have been installed, which is expected to be from 21-25 August. ‘New speed limit ahead’ signs will also be placed to warn road users of the change.
What are the reasons for this decision?
The decision to lower the speed limit was made based on the characteristics of the road, including its winding nature.
Updated 15 August 2023