Town of Walkerville is becoming a 40km/h area!
Council will be implementing 40km/h speed zone changes in eligible precincts across the Township in June 2025.
The new 40km/h speed zones will be implemented in three different precincts within the Township, including:
- Medindie – bounded by Main North Road, Nottage Terrace, Northcote Terrace and Robe Terrace;
- Gilberton – bounded by Park Road, Northcote Terrace, Stephen Terrace and the River Torrens; and
- Walkerville and part of Vale Park – bounded by Stephen Terrace, North East Road, Ascot Avenue and the River Torrens.
The speed changes will not apply to the northern part of Vale Park (above Ascot Avenue) and will not affect roads managed by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT).
Areas that will not become 40km/h include part of Walkerville Terrace remaining 50km/h from Robe Terrace to Stephen Terrace, and other DIT roads remaining at 60km/h, such as Stephen Terrace, Nottage Terrace, Main North Road, Northcote Terrace, Park Road, North East Road and Ascot Avenue.
Residents can expect the installation of new traffic signs to indicate the 40km/h speed zone change in the area, and the implementation and enforcement of 40km/h speed zones on eligible local precincts throughout Town of Walkerville, in June 2025.
To view the 40km/h speed zone changes in the Township, view the map below:
Why is Council lowering its residential street speed limits?
The reduced speed limits will help improve safety outcomes for road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, and result in calmer traffic within local streets.
Speed is a major factor in the severity of a crash involving a pedestrian and a car. If a driver hits a pedestrian while travelling at 50km/h, the risk of fatality to the pedestrian is doubled compared to what it would be if the driver had been travelling at 40km/h.
The faster you drive, the further you travel before you stop – and the harder you hit.
Lower speed limits also have the benefit of improving road safety, reduce traffic noise, improve access to homes and reduce cut-through traffic.
Was the community consulted about these changes?
Yes, during the Transport Strategy consultation in 2023, Council found that residents, ratepayers and visitors were supportive of 40km/h speed zones across the board.
The results of the survey showed that a majority of respondents agreed with changing Medindie, Gilberton, Walkerville and part of Vale Park (southwest of Ascot Avenue) into 40km/h speed zones.
Why is only part of Vale Park becoming 40km/h?
To make an area change to a 40km/h speed zone, a suburb needs to have clear boundaries for the zone. These boundaries are usually main arterial roads.
This make it easier for drivers to recognise when they have entered a 40km/h speed zone.
However, Vale Park is split by a main road - Ascot Avenue - which means the north part of Vale Park is outside of the 40km/h speed changes.
Since the north part of Vale Park is neighbouring the suburb of Klemzig , which is an area of City of Port Adelaide Enfield (PAE), and the boundary for Vale Park is Fife Street - not a main road - we could not implement 40km/h across the whole suburb.
In 2024, Council collaborated with PAE about extending the 40km/h speed zone across the Vale Park boundary into Klemzig, up from Ascot Avenue.
While Council approved the north area of Vale Park to become a 40km/h speed zone, the City of PAE did not endorse making Klemzig a 40km/h speed zone.
So the north part of Vale Park will remain a 50km/h speed zone.
The City of PAE intend to re-engage with the Town of Walkerville once they have completed further traffic investigations.
Is Council revenue raising by implementing 40km/h speed zones?
Town of Walkerville does not receive any revenue from implementing 40km/h speed zones within eligible suburbs.
The enforcement of speed limits is undertaken by the South Australian Police (SAPOL), which is a separate Government body to Town of Walkerville.
Police will be resourcing their enforcement of speed limits through the Township via their own determinations.
Changing suburbs to 40km/h speed limits in the Town of Walkerville is a key deliverable in the Transport Strategy 2024/2035.
The Transport Strategy aims to manage and improve the movement and amenity for local traffic within the Township.
This Strategy has a big focus on safety within local streets, and as many councils are moving towards 40km/h areas, Town of Walkerville decided this was an important direction to take when looking at the future of its streets and neighbourhoods.
In 2023, Town of Walkerville undertook a survey on its proposed Transport Strategy, which found a majority of residents were in favour of reducing speed limits.
Medindie, Gilberton, Walkerville and part of Vale Park were identified as areas that could have 40km/h speed zones implemented. However, part of Vale Park, north of Ascot Avenue, did not fall within the criteria to become a 40km/h speed zone without further consideration.
Council collaborated with PAE about extending the 40km/h speed zone across the Vale Park boundary into Klemzig, up from Ascot Avenue. This consultation was held in 2024.
While Council approved the north area of Vale Park to become a 40km/h speed zone, the City of PAE did not endorse making Klemzig a 40km/h speed zone. Council will aim to revisit the 40km/h decision for part of Vale Park and Klemzig at a later date.