Lay off the pedal: (Front row, from left) Tan, Noor Munirah and Insp Haris Safuan showing the new signage at Lebuh Kimberley. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: When you drive within the Unesco World Heritage Site here, be prepared to fork out RM150 for a speeding compound if you exceed the speed limit of 40kph.
The speed limit is imposed on all the roads within the core zone, except for main roads like Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong, Gat Jalan Prangin, Pesara King Edward, Lebuh Light, Lebuh Farquhar and Jalan Penang, where the speed limit remains at 50kph.
Penang Island City Council’s Engineering Department traffic engineer Noor Munirah Raja Ahmad said the move was meant to improve safety, adding that motorists caught breaking the speed limit will be subjected to a speeding compound issued by the police.
“We found that most motorists in the area are not able to exceed the previous speed limit of 50kph anyway, so a 10kph reduction would improve safety.
“At least two road signs of the new speed limit have been placed on each road which are subjected to the changes,” she told reporters during a press conference at Jalan Penang here yesterday.
Noor Munirah said the new ruling has been gazetted since Aug 31 last year but only began being enforced after relevant infrastructure was put in place.
“Enforcement on the new reduced speed limit is effective at all times, and police would issue a RM150 speeding ticket to offenders just as any speeding offences elsewhere,” she said.
Insp Haris Safuan from the northeast police district traffic investigation and enforcement department, who was present at the press conference, confirmed the matter.
MBPP councillor Edward Tan said the speed limit reduction was implemented taking into consideration that most roads within the area are narrow and vehicles such as motorcycles were often found to be speeding.
“Such a situation endangers the public, especially pedestrians, cyclists and trishaw riders.
“Based on studies conducted at foreign countries, benefits of reducing speed limits are lower accident rates and improved road users’ safety.
“It also increases liveability and develops a greener environment through lower carbon emissions from slower traffic,” he said.
Tan added that another initiative by the council to prevent vehicles from making illegal stops and cause traffic congestion was by painting the kerbs in red to alert motorists of the violation.
“Enforcement action on errant motorists will be taken just as those violating the rule in areas where parking is prohibited,” he said.
