Stirling Council Poised to Scrap Karrinyup Speed Limit Reduction Following Strong Community Opposition
The City of Stirling is preparing to abandon a controversial proposal that would have significantly lowered speed limits across much of the Karrinyup area. This decision comes after a robust public consultation process revealed overwhelming opposition from local residents, with the majority expressing clear dissatisfaction with the planned changes.
Community Feedback Drives Council Decision
City officers have formally recommended against proceeding with the proposed area-wide 40km/h speed zone, which was initially designed to curb rat-running and excessive speeding through residential streets. The consultation process, which involved 545 respondents, found that a substantial 66 percent were opposed to the plan. Many residents argued that the current 50km/h limit, combined with existing traffic calming measures, is already sufficient for the area.
Residents consistently described the proposal as unnecessary and too slow, emphasizing that speed is not the primary factor contributing to local traffic problems. Instead, they pointed to driver behavior and increased traffic volume, particularly from the Karrinyup Shopping Centre, as the real issues. The additional travel time that would result from lower speed limits was also cited as a major concern, with many fearing it would cause frustration among drivers.
Details of the Proposed Zone and Historical Context
The proposed 40km/h zone would have covered a large area bounded by North Beach Road to the north, Karrinyup Road to the south, Milverton Avenue to the west, and Lake Karrinyup and Lake Gwelup to the east. Key local distributor roads within this zone include Milverton Avenue, Clement Drive, Pascoe Street, Finnerty Street, and Huntriss Road.
This proposal followed the introduction of a 40km/h zone in December 2023 on streets directly surrounding the Karrinyup Shopping Centre, excluding Karrinyup Road. However, many of the distributor roads that attract rat-running traffic currently maintain a 50km/h limit. The latest plan stemmed from a traffic and road safety review of Clement Drive and the surrounding precinct, which prompted councillors to vote on July 1 last year to take the proposal to community consultation.
Consultation Process and Traffic Findings
The public consultation did not commence until November, with 3100 flyers delivered to households in the affected area. As part of this effort, the city installed speed awareness monitors in Karrinyup to help drivers experience the proposed 40km/h limit and encourage slower driving. Despite these measures, support for the reduced-speed zone remained limited.
The traffic and road safety review conducted last year revealed significant increases in traffic on Clement Drive, which connects North Beach Road and Pascoe Street. Since 2014, traffic on some sections of this road has surged by up to 24.9 percent, with approximately 6600 vehicles now traveling along Clement Drive on weekdays.
Intersection Upgrade to Proceed Despite Speed Limit Setback
Although the reduced-speed zone is likely to be scrapped, the City of Stirling is moving forward with a minor upgrade to the Clement Drive and Summerhayes Drive intersection. Consultation on this specific upgrade found that 62 percent of respondents supported a redesign. City officers are recommending that the council allocate $300,000 in a future budget to undertake the proposed modifications to this intersection.
The recommendation to abandon the speed limit reduction and proceed with the intersection upgrade was discussed by the city's community and resources committee on Tuesday night. The Stirling Council is expected to make a formal decision on these proposals on Tuesday, February 24, marking a significant shift in response to community input.
