Safe access to all properties by all modes

High Access Neighbourhoods are blocks of streets within a perimeter of VicRoads arterials, with wide footpaths, 30 km/h speed limits, modal filters, and managed parking, so that all properties can be safely accessed by all modes of transport. For most journeys, 30 km/h only applies to the first and last few hundred meters of travel and doesn’t appreciably add to travel times.

Benefits

High Access Neighbourhoods offer the following benefits:

  • a quieter and more enjoyable environment for walking and chatting with neighbours
  • a safer environment for children to start or finish their journeys, e.g. walking or cycling to school, sport or friends
  • reduced rat running
Yarra resident Harrison Watt describes the advantage of 30 km/h. Image credit: The Age.

Safe access via walking and cycling

High Access Neighbourhoods include wider footpaths and modal filters (to reduce motor-vehicle through-traffic) which enables safe access by walking and cycling, as well as driving and parking (although driving to some properties may only be from a certain direction).

Modal filters open streets to walking and biking. Image credit: Groundwork Greater Manchester and Walk Ride Salford.

More information

Support from road safety experts

Road safety experts, including the Australasian College of Road Safety, wants councils to be able to declare 30 km/h speed limits on local streets.

Source: The Age.

30 km/h trial in Yarra

The City of Yarra is trialling a 30 km/h Low Traffic Neighbourhood in one area of Fitzroy and Collingwood, and has decided to expand the trial area to most all of Fitzroy and Collingwood. The expanded trial should begin in early 2024. More information is available at thanksfor30.com.au/why-30kmh.

Image credit: City of Yarra
Original (yellow) and expanded (blue) trial area. Image credit: City of Yarra.

30 km/h in other Councils

The City of Melbourne and the City of Moreland have announced that they are also planning trials. Councils in Western Australia (with the WA Department of Transport) are also testing 30 km/h streets, calling them ‘Safe Active Streets‘:

Safe Active Street. Image credit: WA Department of Transport.

30 km/h around the world

Streets Alive Yarra is part of a global Love 30 campaign (also called 20’s Plenty in countries that use miles per hour), with other groups located in the UK, Europe, Canada and the USA.

Image credit: 20’s Plenty, Google Maps.

Conclusion

High Access Neighbourhoods are a practical and low cost way to make Yarra a more beautiful, liveable and accessible city.

How you can help

You can help by appearing on the Streets Alive Yarra website as a champion for your local street, neighbourhood, or school.

Let’s build a beautiful, liveable and accessible city

How you can help
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