Editorial: Perth councils plan to reduce speed limits may cause outrage but Perth isn’t pedestrian friendly

Today’s report detailing plans by several inner-city councils to further reduce speed limits in their patch — to 40 km/h — will likely spark outrage in some quarters. And to some degree, that’s understandable. We all lead busy lives, we want to get where we need to go faster and we don’t like being slowed down. And some would also argue roads are for motorbikes, cars, buses and trucks, and footpaths are for people. But it’s difficult to see much that’s right with that last argument, in particular. Perth is hardly known as particularly pedestrian-friendly. All too often, footpaths are in poor condition or don’t even exist. Pedestrian overpasses are offered as a supposedly legitimate option across several suburbs and the CBD, despite inherent problems for those less mobile and for young children. Additionally, the global Institute for Transportation and Development Policy last year concluded pedestrian bridges and overpasses were not demonstrably safer for pedestrians. “Because the bridges give drivers a sense or perception of exclusive and unbridled access to the road, they are less likely to be mindful of pedestrians or cyclists,” its research stated. If we are to encourage more people to walk more frequently — particularly children so as to encourage life-long habits — the base point must be that they are able to do it safely. This, in particularly, is to be encouraged in built-up inner-city and suburban areas where community amenity and enjoyment should be a focus. In a 2023 study based on surveys in Dublin, Ireland, the American Planning Association attributed greater happiness to people who lived in “attractive, walkable places that enable social connections and trust in others”. “For . . . more walkable neighbourhoods, pedestrian needs would have to be prioritised over motor vehicles,” it said. So, getting drivers to slow down in areas most commonly used by pedestrians makes sense. Your convenience isn’t worth someone else’s life. Motorists have for years been urged to slow down to reduce the road toll. Hidden in the devastation of WA’s high level of fatalities are 21 pedestrian deaths last year alone — nearly two per month. Too many drivers are distracted too quickly, are too quick to think going too fast won’t matter, and too quick to make a reckless decision. While pedestrians are also often too quick to save a minute — and there would be no West Australian who could honestly say they’ve never crossed the road against the traffic signals or crossed where they should not have — the clear difference between the pair is the one-tonne weapon the driver has. The key point in the current debate is that councils are pushing down speed limits — or asking the community whether to do so — on local, residential streets, not major thoroughfares. Taking the time to consider others on the roads should make for safer suburbs, cities and a State. With a too-high road toll, it’s a concept that’s hard to argue against.