A storm is brewing over the speed limit changes along Tathra Road between Bega and Kalaru.
Last week, it was announced that from June 21, a combined 3.6km stretch of Tathra Road at Jellat and Bega would be reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h, while a 60km/h zone near South East Regional Hospital would be increased by 440 metres.
A Bega Valley Shire Councillor representative on the Local Traffic Committee, is launching a petition against new speed changes, stating the changes were made without any community consultation and with disregard for objections raised in the Local Traffic Committee.
Cr David Porter, told ARN Bega Bay, Transport for NSW, were using flawed data to achieve actions that don’t align with community values or expectations.
“Organisations like Transport for NSW are pulling the wool over our eyes, so this week I’ll be contacting the Premier’s office, the ombudsman and motoring organisations like the NRMA, to demand transparency and accountability, and I plan to start an online petition so our community can have a voice on this matter,” Cr Porter said.
Transport for NSW issued a press release stating there were three crashes resulting in six casualties on those stretches of road, between 2017 and 2022 howver Cr Porter said none of the accidents were recorded as speed being a contributing factor.
“Four of those injuries were a cross intersection accident at Boundry Road, which is being included in the city 60km/h zone anyway,” Cr Porter said.
“The vast majority of traffic accidents on the Bega-Tathra road occur in the lower speed zone portions which dispels the Transport for NSW narrative that removing 100km/h zones will have any effect on safety,” he continued.
“The Jellat Flats 100km/h zone has had only one accident in five years and that was when someone overtook without care and ran off the road, I was told by staff that the driver overtook in the rain with excessive water on the road, so speed did not play any role in the accident it was driver error.
“Driver inattention is the major cause of accidents, not speed.
“The Government needs to focus on globally proven methods of road toll reduction and that is building safer roads and driver education.”
The speed limit will be reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h for a two kilometre stretch from 150 metres south of Boundary Road to 150 metres south of Warragaburra Road, and for a 1.6 kilometre stretch from 70 metres west of Darcy Lane to 240 metres west of Henry Taylor Road.
“The review of this speed zone was initiated in response to a request from the community to improve the safety of road users,” a Transport for NSW spokesperson said.
“Speeding is the biggest contributor to road trauma in NSW so it’s important that motorists are aware of the changed speed limit and follow the road rules.
“In NSW, speeding contributes to 41 per cent of road fatalities and 24 per cent of serious injuries from road crashes each year.
“Speeding increases both the risk of a crash happening, as well as the likelihood of death or serious injury.
“Going just 5 km/h over the speed limit in a 60 km/h zone, on average, doubles your crash risk.”
But Cr Porter said speed isn’t a factor for most motorists along the road between Bega and Jellat.
“I have been driving this stretch of road since it was an unlimited speed zone, in a car with no power steering air bags or even and disc brakes, I have over 38 years of driving without a ticket, and no accidents,” Cr Porter said.
“Given my own experience and community values, I am highly offended by the draconian treatment of our motoring community by Transport for NSW.”
Images: James Fennessy – ARN Bega Bay
