A Honeysuckle speed limit slowing drivers to 30kmh is back on City of Newcastle's agenda, with one councillor branding it "a magnet for revenue raising".
Newcastle Liberal councillor Callum Pull wants to test community sentiment on the slow lane, and will next week ask his colleagues to support further consultation on the speed limit.
"Many who travel on this stretch of road have been hit with unfair fines and know the frustration the extremely and unnecessarily low speed limit has caused," Cr Pull said.
"30kmh is below the threshold for many vehicles to use cruise control, meaning this has become a magnet for revenue raising.
"The council should be championing the amenity of our roads, not making commutes more frustrating for motorists."
The speed limit on Honeysuckle Drive, Wharf Road and Shortland Esplanade dropped to 30kmh more than four years ago as part of a trial to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.
An executive director's report to councillors states Transport for NSW (TFNSW) is responsible for setting speed limits based on a technical and evidence-based approach.
Councils can apply to TFNSW to review speed limits, but Cr Pull said he was not interested in the opinions of "pencil pushers and academics" in the transport department.
"The motion is to make sure the people who actually use this road can deliver their verdict and have their voices heard," he said.
Cr Pull's motion said a state government program included a trial of a 30kmh zone from Honeysuckle to Nobbys beach. The zone was later made permanent.
Cr Pull said neither the original trial nor the decision to make it permanent included an opportunity for community consultation.
The motion states that in 2022, Liverpool Council successfully petitioned TFNSW to raise a 30kmh zone to 40kmh after community feedback expressed an overwhelmingly negative response to the change.
An executive director's report on Cr Pull's motion said speed was the biggest single factor involved in road deaths, contributing to about 40 per cent of road fatalities each year in NSW.
"Speed limits are one of the simplest and most proven strategies for controlling and regulating driving speeds in the support of road safety," the report said.
"The Honeysuckle to foreshore corridor is a key waterfront destination that directly reflects this vision, accommodating high volumes of pedestrians and cyclists."
The report said those numbers would continue to grow as the precinct develops, arguing a low-speed environment prioritised safety, amenity and access.
Community consultation on the council's draft local streets plan, a 10-year strategy to create safer, greener, more welcoming and accessible streets, drew 41 submissions.
About 90 per cent of submissions supported the plan. Less than 20 per cent of submissions called for an increased use of 40kmh and 30kmh zones in Newcastle.
Council staff recommended that instead of asking the community, the council should apply to TFNSW to request a review of the speed limit set in 2022 to ensure it aligns with the standard.
Councillors will vote on the motion on June 16.
