Speed limit cuts raise ire among motorists, councillors

Transport for NSW's latest move is dropping speed limits along two sections of Tathra Road from 100kmh to 80kmh, including the long straight section known as the 'Jellat flat'.

The news was met with considerable public outcry, but also criticism from some Bega Valley Shire councillors.

David Porter is the council's representative on the Local Traffic Committee, which also involves representatives from Transport for NSW, police and the Member for Bega.

He said, despite the changes being carried out on council-managed roads in the shire, speed zones were the responsibility of Transport for NSW.

"And these have all been changed without any community consultation and with disregard for concerns raised in the Traffic Committee," Cr Porter said said.

"I already complained to Transport for NSW in Sydney about the wholesale removal of 100kmh speed limits in the Bega Valley, but as usual city policy rules with no idea of the realities of rural life."

Transport for NSW claimed speed was the "biggest contributor to road trauma in NSW".

It also stated crash data for a five-year period from 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2022 noted three crashes along Tathra Road, justifying the changes.

Responding to follow-up questions from ACM, it said crash locations were at the intersection with Boundary Road, 400 metres south of Boundary Road and 200 metres east of Darcy Lane.

The crashes reportedly resulted in three serious injuries and three moderate injuries.

However, the publicly available crash data does not indicate specific causes for crashes, whether speeding or otherwise.

"The fact is all governing and industry bodies in Australia have stated that crash data is badly lacking in real information as to the cause of accidents, and groups like the AAA have called for better data collection and transparency in the formulation of road safety policy, as currently the process is open to interpretation as a revenue grab," Cr Porter said.

"Transport for NSW claims speeding is the greatest cause of 'road trauma' - note, not 'road accidents'.

"Research going back over 20 years shows the overwhelming cause of traffic accidents is driver inattention.

"Posting speed limits that are too low disenfranchises the driver and increases inattention, so the whole concept that speed is the magic pill for road safety is a bureaucratic fantasy."

As well as the removal of the 100kmh sections, the 60kmh zone at Bega's eastern town limit is to be extended a further 440 metres past the Boundary Rd intersection.

"The Boundary St intersection needs to change because it's now sealed and higher use, but the removal of the whole 100kmh section for two non-speeding related accidents over five years is unwarranted," Cr Porter said.

"In fact the vast majority of accidents on this road are in the lower speed zones which totally dispels the Transport for NSW narrative."

Cr Porter said he raised objections to the proposal in the Local Traffic Committee, but the decision was made anyway.

"A speeder does not follow the speed limits, so they are punishing the majority of law abiding community members for a handful of speeders, with absolutely no link to changing the behaviour of the speeders.

"I am highly offended by the draconian and misguided treatment of our motoring community by Transport for NSW."