Submission on behalf of CAW by Illona Keenan: 
Cycle Aware Wellington (CAW) supports lowering the speed limit in Island Bay and Kilbirnie to 30 km/h, especially the sections indicated on the maps in the brochure, because it will make walking and more so cycling in these areas safer and more pleasant.
 
CAW agrees with the brochure when it states "Studies show that pedestrians and cyclists struck by a vehicle at 30km/h receive significantly less severe injuries than at 50km/h." Indeed the national road safety strategy "Road Safety to 2010" by Land Transport NZ notes that in a collision with a car, pedestrian and cyclist fatalities increase rapidly as vehicle speeds increase, such that "death is virtually certain" if the impact occurs at or above 60 km/h, whereas if pedestrians or cyclists are hit by motor vehicles travelling at 30 km/h or less, the probability of death is less than 10%. 51% of fatal and serious crash casualties in Wellington in 2006 were pedestrians and cyclists. This compares with 27% for Auckland City and 32% for Christchurch City (Land Transport NZ, 2007).
 
Lowering operating speeds and speed limits on most urban streets will improve safety for all road users (not just cyclists) and encourage more people to cycle. Reducing motor vehicle speeds will have two benefits for pedestrians and cyclists. People struck by motor vehicles at lower speeds will be less likely to be killed or seriously injured, and also the chances of them being struck will be reduced as motorists have more chance to avoid hitting them, when travelling at lower speeds.
 
The perceived increase in safety will encourage more people to cycle, fewer people to drive, carbon emissions will be reduced, climate change will be mitigated (albeit imperceptibly), the fitness of your average Wellingtonian will increase and health costs will decrease.
 
The Council should also consider widening the areas of speed restrictions of 30km to include areas adjacent to schools, for example around Island Bay and St Francis de Sales Schools.  This would extend the proposed area to include Clyde Street, Thames Street and Mersey Street.  This would improve road safety for children.  This speed reduction around schools could also be applied throughout the city, along with speed reductions in suburban areas.  
 
Cyclists are already enjoying the reduced speed limits in Newtown, such as on Riddiford Street, and CAW welcomes the reduction of speed limits, especially to 30km/h, elsewhere in Wellington.
 
We would like to present an Oral Submission on this consultation.