Following numerous pedestrian accidents in Manly over the years, Northern Beaches Council is taking steps to reduce traffic speed in the area by introducing new safety measures.
Council is working with the support of Transport for New South Wales, alongside community representatives and other government agencies as part of the Local Traffic Committee, to improve pedestrian and road safety.
Part of this program of works saw the recent implementation of a 30km/h speed zone in the Manly CBD area, which resulted in a reduction in average traffic speed from around 45km/h to 39km/h.
Northern Beaches Council CEO, Ray Brownlee, said that despite the reduction, the numbers show there are still drivers going over the limit –placing all pedestrians and road users at risk.
To further improve safety, Council has also installed 14 concrete median islands along the Manly CBD and beachfront to effectively slow traffic by narrowing the travel lane.
For a majority of these sites, parking spaces will not be affected where there is an impact on parking spaces – parking bays will be marked as suitable for small cars only. Signage is also currently being installed to notify drivers of the change in driving and parking conditions.
“While these works are important safety measures, Council has received feedback from the community wanting more information. So no further work, other than finishing line markings and signposting, will be taking place until a review of the effectiveness of the traffic calming measures are undertaken,” Mr Brownlee said.
