Speed limits under review
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 road manager.
What’s 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.
We may also ask the community and stakeholders such as police, local councils and the RACT whether they support a change to the speed limit.
How do I request a speed limit review?
If you want to request a review of a speed limit on a State road, contact us at info@stategrowth.tas.gov.au
If you want to request a review of a speed limit on a council road, contact the local council.
Speed limit changes
Mersey Main Road, between Latrobe and Spreyton
What is the decision?
The speed limit on Mersey Main Road, between Latrobe and Spreyton, will be reduced from 80 km/hr to 70 km/hr for 4.6 kilometres. The speed limit will be reduced in both directions of travel.
What are the reasons for this decision?
In making the decision to lower the speed limit, consideration was given to the characteristics of the road, including its many curves, the high number of accesses to the road, and its crash history.
There have been 45 reported crashes in this section of road in the last five years, including 11 single-vehicle loss-of-control crashes and six head-on crashes involving loss-of-control. These types of crashes indicate that a vehicle is travelling too quickly for the road conditions.
This number of crashes is significantly higher than most other locations on the state road network.
Research tells us that even small reductions in travelling speeds can lead to a reduction in serious casualties.
The reduced speed limit will add only around 30 seconds to the average journey on this road.
The new speed limit will come into effect once the updated speed limit signs have been installed in the week commencing Monday, 23 May 2022.
‘New speed limit ahead’ signs will also be placed to provide road users with advance warning of the change.
Updated: 23 May 2022
Tasman Highway, Bicheno
What is the decision?
The speed limit on the Tasman Highway, south of Bicheno, has been reduced from 100 km/h to 80 km/h for 1.6 kilometres. The speed limit will be reduced in both directions of travel.
What are the reasons for this decision?
In making the decision to lower the speed limit, consideration was given to the characteristics of the road, including tight curves, the number of accesses along this stretch of road, proposed future developments and the relevant Australian standards.
Research tells us that even small reductions in travelling speeds can lead to a reduction in serious casualties.
The new speed limit will come into effect once the updated speed limit signs have been installed in the week commencing Tuesday, 29 March 2022.
‘New speed limit ahead’ signs will also be placed to provide road users with advance warning of the change.
Updated: 29 March 2022
Port Sorell Road, Wesley Vale
What is the decision?
The speed limit on Port Sorell Road in Wesley Vale is being reduced from 100 km/h to 80 km/h for 2.8 kilometres.
The speed limit will be reduced in both directions of travel between the Pardoe Road roundabout and the western side of Wesley Vale.
The request to change the speed limit was raised by the community.
What are the reasons for this decision?
In making the decision to lower the speed limit, consideration was given to the characteristics of the road and how it compares to road and speed limits in similar locations.
In the last five years, there have been 15 reported crashes between the roundabout and the western end of Wesley Vale. The majority of these were single-vehicle loss-of-control crashes and nose-to-tail type crashes which are typically associated with excessive speed.
Research tells us that even small reductions in travelling speeds can lead to a reduction in serious casualties.
The new speed limit will come into effect once the updated speed limit signs have been installed, which is expected to be by the end of February 2022.
‘New speed limit ahead’ signs will also be placed to provide road users with advance warning of the change.
Updated: 22 February 2022
Main Road, Stanley
What is the decision?
The speed limit on Main Road in Stanley has been reduced from 60 km/h to 50 km/h for 2.3 kilometres. The speed limit will be reduced in both directions of travel.
What are the reasons for this decision?
In making the decision to lower the speed limit, consideration was given to the characteristics of the road, including the proximity to local tourism attractions and businesses and how it compares to road and speed limits in similar townships.
Research tells us that even small reductions in travelling speeds can lead to a reduction in serious casualties.
The new speed limit will come into effect once the updated speed limit signs have been installed in the next week.
‘New speed limit ahead’ signs will also be placed to provide road users with advance warning of the change.
Updated: 28 January 2022
South Arm Road, South Arm
What is the decision?
The speed limit on South Arm Road in South Arm has been reduced from 60 km/h to 50 km/h for a 0.9 kilometre section through the township. The speed limit will be reduced in both directions of travel.
The request to change the speed limit was raised by the local school and community groups and will make the road safer for pedestrians, including students and residents.
What are the reasons for this decision?
In making the decision to lower these speed limits, consideration was given to the characteristics of the road, including the proximity to the school and shopping area and how this compares to road and speed limits in similar townships
Research tells us that even small reductions in travelling speeds can lead to a reduction in serious casualties.
The new speed limit will come into effect from Friday, 28 January 2022.
‘New speed limit ahead’ signs have also been placed to provide road users with advance warning of the change.
Updated: 28 January 2022
Marlborough Road, Bronte Park
What is the decision?
The speed limit on Marlborough Road through Bronte Park is being reduced from 70 km/h to 60 km/h for 1.7 kilometres. The speed limit will be reduced in both directions of travel.
The changes will make the roads safer for road users travelling though Bronte Park, and vehicles turning into facilities along this section of road.
What are the reasons for this decision?
In making the decision to lower these speed limits, consideration was given to the characteristics of the road, including the number of driveways along the section, and how it compared to road and speed limits in similar rural areas.
Research tells us that even small reductions in travelling speeds can lead to a reduction in serious casualties.
The new speed limit will come into effect once the updated speed limit signs have been installed in the next week.
‘New speed limit ahead’ signs will also be placed to provide road users with advance warning of the change.
Updated: 25 October 2021
Tasman Highway, Douglas River
What is the decision?
The speed limit on the Tasman Highway near Douglas River is being reduced from 100 km/h to 80 km/h for 1.2 kilometres. The speed limit will be reduced in both directions of travel.
What are the reasons for this decision?
In making the decision to lower these speed limits, consideration was given to the characteristics of the road, including the number of driveways along the section, and how it compared to road and speed limits in similar rural areas.
Research tells us that even small reductions in travelling speeds can lead to a reduction in serious casualties.
The new speed limit will come into effect once the updated speed limit signs have been installed in the next week.
‘New speed limit ahead’ signs will also be placed to provide road users with advance warning of the change.
Updated: 22 October 2021
Bass Highway, Chasm Creek
What is the decision?
The speed limit on the Bass Highway near Chasm Creek is being reduced from 100 km/h to 90 km/h for 2.3 kilometres. The speed limit will be reduced in both directions of travel between Chasm Creek and Heybridge.
What are the reasons for this decision?
The Bass Highway carries high volumes of traffic and in the past five years there have been 33 vehicle crashes on this section of the road.
The majority of these were single vehicle loss-of-control crashes. Of the 33 crashes, one resulted in serious injury, eight in minor injury and three in the need for first aid treatment.
In making the decision to lower the speed limit, consideration was given to the crash history, road characteristics and the relevant national standard for speed management.
New speed limit signs were installed in early October 2021, with the new speed limit now into effect.
Please comply with the posted speed limits and always drive to the conditions.
Updated: 5 October 2021
Blessington Main Road, White Hills
What is the decision?
The speed limit on Blessington Main Road at White Hills is being reduced from 100 km/h to 80 km/h for one kilometre at the White Hills Road intersection. The speed limit will be reduced for 500 metres in either direction of the intersection.
What are the reasons for this decision?
The Department of State Growth investigated the speed limit on Blessington Main Road following requests from the community. A reduction was justified and approved by the Commissioner for Transport according to national standards.
Research shows even small reductions of 10 km/h in travelling speeds can lead to a 25 percent reduction in serious casualties.
Please observe new speed signs, which have been installed in May 2020.
Updated: 6 May 2020
Huon Highway, Vinces Saddle/ Sandfly
What is the decision?
Vinces Saddle
The Department of State Growth is reducing the speed limit from 100 km/h to 80 km/h on the Huon Highway at Vinces Saddle for about 4.1 kilometres, in both directions, from the cemetery at Lower Longley travelling towards Hobart. This will add approximately half a minute to travel time through this section.
Sandfly intersection
The Department of State Growth did not apply to have the speed reduced at the intersection.
What are the reasons for this decision?
Vinces Saddle
There is a clear case for reducing the speed limit at Vinces Saddle on the Huon Highway for safety reasons. This section of the highway is steep, winding and has one of the highest crash rates on the entire State road network.There have been 81 reported crashes on this section of road in the last five years. The most common type of crash is loss-of-control involving a single vehicle, which indicates that motorists are travelling too fast. The crash history shows vehicle crashes are evenly distributed across the year and at different times of day, with no apparent links to particular weather conditions.
Sandfly intersection
A number of factors informed the Department’s decision, including the relevant Australian road engineering standards, feedback from road users and the Department’s commitment to upgrade the intersection.
Consultation Findings
The full Community Consultation Feedback Report is available here. In total, 296 people submitted feedback. At Vinces Saddle, 78 per cent of submissions expressed opposition to the speed limit change and 22 per cent supported it. At Sandfly Road intersection, 64 per cent of submissions opposed the speed limit and 36 per cent supported it.
Updated: 5 February 2020
Midland Highway, Southern Outlet Launceston
What is the decision?
The Department of State Growth is reducing the speed limit on the Launceston Southern Outlet from 110 km/h to 90 km/h for about 2.2 kilometres from the Bass Highway Interchange and Howick Street, travelling in both directions. The speed reduction will add an extra 16 seconds to road users travel time
What are the reasons for this decision?
A fatality on this section of highway in November 2018 initiated a review of the speed limit. Key stakeholders and road users were consulted on the speed review in May 2019, the Consultation and Findings Report is available here. Mixed opinions are expected when asking road users about speed limit reductions, and most road users opposed the speed reduction.
This section of the highway carries about 28 000 vehicles a day and is on a very steep hill. Since 2013 there have been 137 reported crashes on this section of Highway. Traffic flow is disrupted by slow moving trucks and merging vehicles. There is a high nose-to-tail crash rate on the Southern Outlet indicating motorists are travelling too fast. A speed reduction will improve safety for all road users, and have the additional benefit of reducing crash related congestion on the Southern Outlet.
Variable speed signs will not maximise improved safety benefits for all road users. Although crashes on this section of highway are more common during peak hours they happen at all times.
Research indicates that even small reductions of 10 km/h in travelling speeds can lead to 25 per cent reductions in serious casualties.
Updated: 13 November 2019
Huon Highway, Dover
What is the decision?
The speed limit on the Huon Highway at Dover is being reduced from 80 km/h to 60 km/h for 1.83 kilometres from Francistown Road travelling south.
What are the reasons for this decision?
The Department of State Growth investigated the speed limit on the Huon Highway at Dover following a request from a local resident. A reduction was justified and approved by the Commissioner for Transport according to national standards.
Research shows even small reductions of 10 km/h in travelling speeds can lead to a 25 percent reduction in serious casualties.
Please observe new speed signs, which were installed in November 2019.
Updated: 13 November 2019