Speed limit to be reduced in two Silver Zones
The speed limit in two Silver Zones in Bukit Merah and Jurong West will be reduced from 40kmh to 30kmh from April next year.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced the one-year trial for Bukit Merah View and Jurong West Street 52 in a Facebook post yesterday.
On why the new speed limit will be implemented, LTA said: "Such traffic calming measures are aimed at slowing down motorists' speeds to make our roads safer for pedestrians, especially for our seniors when they navigate in the Silver Zones."
In addition to the new speed limit, LTA said there would be "traffic calming features", such as raised junctions and road markings, in the Bukit Merah and Jurong West zones from December.
LTA said it will work with the community during the trial period to refine the measures implemented.
In March this year, LTA said it would lower the speed limit in some Silver Zones from 40kmh to 30kmh as part of a trial in areas with large populations of seniors.
The Silver Zone scheme was first announced in 2014. It seeks to create such zones in areas with high populations of senior residents, relatively higher accident rates involving seniors, and amenities that they frequent, such as wet markets.
When an area is designated as a Silver Zone, some measures are implemented to help slow traffic down, such as lowering speed limits, having two-stage crossings so pedestrians can wait at the centre divider before crossing over to the other side, and narrowing roads at crossings to get cars to slow down.
Three-dimensional road markings were also introduced in the Whampoa Drive Silver Zone last year. The markings made the roads appear narrower.
Currently, there are 17 Silver Zones island-wide. By 2023, there will be 50 such zones. According to the LTA, there has been a 75 per cent drop in the number of accidents involving elderly pedestrians in Silver Zones.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now