Council rejects speed limit change for ‘Bunya Speedway’

Sunshine Coast Council has rejected residents’ calls for a lower speed limit along Bunya Road, finding the existing limits remain appropriate despite concerns about speeding and road safety.

The decision follows a review of Bunya Road, a road which residents have dubbed “Bunya Speedway”.

Council divided the corridor into three zones and assessed each under Austroads speed-zoning principles. It decided to retain the posted speed limit in all three sections.

North Arm advocate Dede said local residents felt let down by the outcome. “We are very disappointed to say the least,” she said. 

Another resident said she was dreading the day something could happen to a child on the intersection where the road to the North Arm State School is, because there is no stop sign.  

Between 15 and 20 residents attended a community meeting in February calling for urgent safety measures along Bunya Road.

Their requests included reducing the speed limit to 50km/h, installing more signs, adding stop signs at the Bunya Road intersections with Running Creek Road and North Arm Yandina Creek Road, and introducing permanent police radar.

Residents suggested electronic signs displaying a smiling or unhappy face according to a driver’s speed. Dede previously told the Gazette she regularly saw cars and trucks accelerating along the downhill portion of the 60km/h zone heading north towards the park.

Council said its review considered traffic volumes, crash history, roadside development, the road’s function and operating environment.

It found traffic volumes and conditions did not indicate a need to change the limits and there was no evidence of an inappropriate speed-related risk requiring adjustment.

Council also found the corridor’s crash history did not demonstrate a pattern likely to be improved by changing the posted limits, while roadside access and development were compatible with the current zones.

It said speed limits should be credible and match the road environment, warning inappropriate changes could produce varying driver speeds and increase risk.

Residents pointed to three serious crashes at the intersection within four weeks last year. They also raised concerns about cyclists, vehicles overtaking across double lines and vegetation encroaching on footpaths used by children.