As the Linden Citizens Association (LCA) approaches its fourth year of campaigning for a lower speed limit, council has renewed its commitment to push their case to the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS).
The association maintains that pedestrian safety in Linden's network of narrow, hilly and winding no-through roads - bereft of any footpaths - is compromised by the current speed limit of 50kmh, the RMS' standard speed for all local roads in residential areas. Its members are calling for a 40kmh zone to ensure pedestrian safety.
Ward 2 councillors Chris Van der Kley, Romola Hollywood and Annette Bennett joined 15 Linden residents near the park on Glossop Road last Thursday to highlight the issue.
Clr Hollywood said: "My feeling is what the Linden community is trying to do is to find a cost-effective and realistic solution to increase pedestrian safety, in terms of council and state government resources."
"I believe it's about finding a solution for the whole area of Linden rather than particular spots and it's also about trying to shift driver behaviour," Clr Hollywood said.
Clr Van der Kley said a sticking point with the RMS is its requirement for a local road to be determined as a high pedestrian traffic area to be considered for a speed limit change to below 50kmh.
"They allowed us to do it in Leura [Mall], but not in Linden," he said. "And roads in some of the new housing estates are also very narrow, so how can you have 50kmh zones there too?
"The prime example of that is in East Blaxland.
"We need to ask the state government to look at these sorts of things."
The councillors' show of support followed a unanimous decision at the September 15 council meeting which will see council write to NSW Premier Mike Baird, seeking his support to call on RMS to exercise greater flexibility when considering reducing speed limits on local roads - a potential circuit-breaker for Linden.
Council has also committed to sign the International Charter for Walking, support its proposals to improve pedestrian safety and complete a pedestrian and mobility access plan for the Blue Mountains.
Linden resident Stuart Hill said: "So often the political response is to try to postpone any action, but we could have 40 kmh signs put up here tomorrow - we do not need any more studies done".
Association vice president Jon Rickard said out of 72 respondents to a survey sent to 190 Linden properties, 94 per cent thought a 40kmh traffic precinct was the best way to keep pedestrians safe.
