TO enhance safety within the George Town World Heritage Site, the speed limit for several roads within the area has been gazetted as 40 km/h zones.
Penang City Councilor (MBPP) Edward Tan said many roads in the George Town World Heritage Site were quite narrow and it was found that motorcyclists often rode at high speeds in the area.
"This is dangerous for the public, especially those on foot, on bicycles as well as trishaw riders.
"So the speed limit for the specific roads has been gazetted to 40km/h."
Previously set at 50 km/h travelling speed for vehicles within the Heritage Site, Tan cited several studies in other cities on the benefits of reducing the speed limit.
“Lowering the speed limit would reduce road crashes and protect pedestrians in heritage areas,” he said, adding that it will also improve the livability within heritage areas.
"In addition, it will create a greener environment as studies show that by lowering the travelling speed of the vehicles, carbon emissions will be reduced.
“This is also the first step to enable other measures to reduce environmental pollution and increase the level of livability such as vehicle-free zones and green zones," he added.
The 40 km/h zones are the inner roads surrounded by Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong, Pengkalan Weld, Pesara King Edward, Lebuh Light, Lebuh Farquhar, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah and Jalan Penang.
It also includes Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah, Jalan Padang Kota Lama, Lebuh Duke, Jalan Green Hall, Gat Lebuh Leith, Merdeka Highway, Jalan Merdeka, Lintang Merdeka as well as Pengkalan 1 Bypass, Pengkalan 2 Bypass, Pengkalan 3 Bypass and Base 4.
However, the speed limit for the main artery roads namely Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong, Gat Jalan Prangin, Pengkalan Weld, Pesara King Edward, Lebuh Light, Lebuh Farquhar, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah and Jalan Penang remains at 50 km/h.
Lower speed limits of 30 km/h and 50 km/h in inner roads of Kuala Lumpur are also being considered with numerous studies carried out by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) in the past two years.
Last year, Miros submitted proposals to KL City Hall for a standard 30km/h speed limit for urban and residential areas as part of the national road safety plan for 2022-2030.
Malaysia is one of the countries that ratified the “Stockholm Declaration” on road safety, with 18 resolutions, at a global ministerial conference held in February 2020.
Four years ago, Transport Minister Anthony Loke together with 79 global ministers at the conference had pledged to halve the number of road deaths by 2030 and proposed the speed limit of 30 km/h as “the new norm” in areas where motorcyclists, car drivers, pedestrians and cyclists are common road users.
World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had called on governments around the world to urgently adopt the 30 km/h speed limit in cities.
“We need a new vision to create safe, healthy, green and liveable cities,” Ghebreyesus had said.
“Low-speed streets are an important part of that vision. As we recover and rebuild from Covid-19, let’s make safer roads for a safer world.” - The Vibes, March 28, 2024
