A road safety initiative which aims to highlight reduced speed limits will be launched in GoldenBeach on Wednesday March 19.
The 50 in My Street a partnership initiative involving the Queensland Police Service, Sunshine Coast Council, Caloundra 6 Neighbourhood Watch Group and Caloundra Safe, will focus on two GoldenBeach streets, Sir Joseph Banks Drive and Lamerough Parade.
Residents of GoldenBeach and in particular the two streets mentioned have made it clear they have had enough of motorists flouting the speed limits.
As part of the project, the Caloundra 6 Neighbourhood Watch group will attach large, yellow stickers with the graphics 50 in My Street to resident’s wheelie bins, in Sir Joseph Banks Drive and Lamerough Parade as a colourful, visual prompt.
Neighbourhood Watch Caloundra 6 Secretary, Don Macpherson said he was very pleased to have some visible evidence of community concern about vehicle speeds in these streets.
“These are quiet residential streets with poor visibility on bends and street entrances and many motorists use them as short cuts from Landsborough Parade to Pelican Waters Boulevard with little regard for the 50kph speed limit,” Mr Macpherson said.
“We hope these very visible signs will make streets safer for the residents especially on rubbish collection days where the appearance of the stickers will serve as a visible reminder to motorists that they are in a residential area and to slow down.”
Caloundra Safe Committee Chair** Ron Strong said they were pleased to partner with Caloundra 6 Neighbourhood Watch in helping with displaying the 50 in My Street program.
“Our committee ask drivers to observe the suburban street speed limits and to consider if the few seconds you may you save is worth someone’s life or their ability to live a normal life,” Mr Strong said.
“Those extra few seconds **could also save you from having to live with nightmares from an accident caused by you.”
Officer in Charge of Caloundra Police Station Senior Sergeant Gavin Ricketts said Caloundra is widely regarded as a family destination for both lifestyle and tourism and is also favoured as a retirement destination.
“Caloundra is also one of the fastest growing communities in the state therefore it is imperative that we maintain its safe reputation,” Senior Sergeant Ricketts said.
“The 50 in My Street campaign is another means of aiming to reduce speeding which is important given the increasing volumes of traffic in our community.”
SunshineCoast Councillor Tim Dwyer said that to many motorists either ignore, flaunt or forget about their responsibilities in creating and maintaining safe neighbourhoods.
The 50 In My Street campaign is a way for concerned community members to remind drivers of those responsibilities and I hope the campaign reminds all motorists that they need to demonstrate respect in residential areas, just as they would like reciprocated when people drive through their own neighbourhood,” Mr Dwyer said.
“In reality, speeding in residential streets serves no practical purpose in regards to improved travel times and I hope the community embrace the initiative and Caloundra sees the subsequent improvement in neighbourhood safety.
Coordinator of the _50 in My Street _initiative Acting Sergeant Sandy Atkinson said the campaign was successfully trialled in Glenfields Boulevard, Glenfield’s and has since spread to other Neighbourhood Watch communities including Caloundra.
“Residents of this area have observed drivers reducing their speed and a safer road environment is the result of this,” Acting Sergeant Atkinson said.
“The research has shown drivers, especially those familiar with an area or street tend to tune out or ignore more permanent road signs they see every day.”
“The 50km/h speed limit was introduced in all residential streets in South East Queensland in March 1999 – but reports from community members and Queensland Police Service indicate that many motorists continue to drive over this limit.”