York Street speed limit drop proposal canned

CBD speed limits will not be dropped after the City of Albany council rejected a proposal to investigate reducing town square speeds to 40km/h.

On August 28, the City of Albany council voted 6-5 against Councillor Paul Terry’s proposed investigation into slowing speeds on York, Aberdeen and Collie streets, their cross streets, Stirling Terrace and part of Lockyer Avenue and Albany Highway.

In his motion to the council, Cr Terry said a 40km/h zone in the CBD would bring speeds in line with other pedestrian areas in Albany.

“We already have two 40km/h zones in Albany at Middleton Beach and Emu Point ... because there are many tourists and young children in these areas,” he said.

“There are many tourists and young children in the CBD areas as well, along with many of our elderly residents who would appreciate traffic moving slightly slower, especially going down Aberdeen and Collie Streets.”

When the story was first reported in June, Albany Advertiser readers reacted with surprise to Cr Terry’s proposal.

“You’re lucky to do more than 20 (km/h) down York Street already, with crosswalks, traffic pulling in-out or waiting to go into parking spots and roundabouts,” one reader said.

“(I) can’t recall the last time I got to go 40km/h down there let alone 50 (km/h) — use the money elsewhere instead of putting up new signs for speed limits,” another said.