Shadow transport minister Mark Parton MLA has suggested that Northbourne Avenue was made a 40km/h zone to raise revenue for light rail. Since speed limits were lowered in June 2021, Mr Parton noted, the ACT government issued nearly 100,000 more traffic infringements over the next financial year.

“Looking at the very sharp increase of infringements issued during 2021-22, it is hard not to arrive at the conclusion that the speed cameras on Northbourne Avenue were put in place solely to raise revenue for the Labor-Greens government to help pay for the tram,” he said.

Earlier this year, Mr Parton asked Tara Cheyne MLA, Minister for Better Regulation, to detail the number of fines issued annually back to 2016. The data showed that the number of traffic infringements very nearly tripled, Mr Parton noted: infringements increased from 61,550 in 2016–17 and 62,762 in 2020–21 to 160,320 in 2021–22.

“The numbers are astounding,” Mr Parton said. “The number of traffic infringements that are noticed year by year in most cities doesn’t change a great deal from year to year. That number usually remains quite steady…

“A hundred thousand additional fines are a bucketload of extra revenue.”

In the first three weeks after the speed was lowered, motorists were fined $4.8 million in fines, while by May last year, speeding fines had raised $13 million of revenue.

• Canberra’s business precincts will become 40 km/h zones (25 March 2021)
• More than 5,000 Canberrans caught speeding in Civic 40km zones (23 June 2021)

An ACT Government spokesperson said that money accrued through speeding fines becomes part of the government’s consolidated revenue; there was no direct link to the construction of light rail to Woden.

In March 2021, the spokesperson said, the 40km/h zone in the city was expanded to include sections of Barry Drive, Cooyong Street, Northbourne Avenue between McKay Street and Vernon Circle, and a large section of the Braddon commercial precinct.

“The speed limit was reduced as part of the ACT Government’s commitment to improve road safety for the growing number of pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport users in the city precinct.”

Pedestrian numbers have significantly increased in this area since the light rail was introduced. In December 2019, approximately 14,000 pedestrians crossed Northbourne Avenue at the Alinga Street intersection.

“Reducing speed limits in areas like our city centre makes our roads safer for everyone, and creates a friendlier environment to walk, cycle, and take public transport.”

The introduction of 40km/h zones significantly reduces the risk of death for cyclists and pedestrians, the spokesperson said. The risk of death for a vulnerable road user drops from more than 80 per cent when a vehicle is travelling at 60km/h, to 50 per cent when the vehicle is travelling at 40km/h. 

Business precincts in Tuggeranong and Kingston were also made 40 km/h zones.