LATMS 20 Balmain

Yarra Council is conducting a Local Area Traffic Management Study (LATMS) in Cremorne’s Balmain Precinct, in the area bounded by Swan Street, Mary Street, the Yarra River and Punt Road.

For the purposes of this study, this area is referred to as LATMS 20.

The traffic study aims to address traffic issues in the area including:

traffic speed and volume
through-traffic in local streets
heavy vehicles in local streets
traffic safety at intersections
pedestrian safety

Traffix Group Pty Ltd, a traffic engineering and transport planning consultancy, has been engaged by Council to assist with the study.

Proposed Traffic Management Plan

In January 2013, a proposed Traffic Management Plan was distributed to residents that suggested possible traffic solutions in the area.

This plan was developed in response to issues identified by the community in a survey distributed to local properties in July 2012. The Traffic Study Group, comprising local representatives, ward councillors, council officers and consultants from Traffix Group also contributed to the development of the plan

Overall, the community response to the proposed Traffic Management Plan was mixed, with 18% of respondents in full support, and an additional 61% partly in support. A significant number of respondents (21%) were opposed to the overall plan.

A detailed review of responses for individual proposed treatments indicated that a number of these treatments did not have sufficient community support to be implemented. However, the remaining proposed treatments did have a suitable level of support.

On this basis, the Traffic Study Group reviewed responses from the overall community and from the residents of the individual streets where treatments were proposed. Following a detailed review of community comments, the proposed Traffic Management Plan was amended.

The revised traffic management plan appears below:
pdf format LATMS 20 Draft Traffic Management Plan - March 2013 (327.19 KB)

Council will consider the Recommended Traffic Management Plan at its meeting on 21 May 2013 at Fitzroy Town Hall from 6.30pm. Members of the community are welcome to attend this meeting and speak about their views on the plan before Council decides on whether to adopt some or all of the recommendations.

Objectives of the Proposed Traffic Management Plan

The plan has been developed on an area–wide basis to minimise any impact proposed traffic treatments may cause on nearby streets.

The objectives of the plan are to:

reduce the incidence and potential for vehicle and pedestrian crashes in the area
improve the safety of local streets by reducing traffic speeds
discourage through-traffic from using the local area
develop proposals that address traffic concerns raised by the community, while maintaining adequate levels of accessibility for local residents, local businesses and emergency services, and
maximise the safety benefits of available funding (with priority given to reported crash locations and those streets with the greatest level of community concerns).

Parking issues

Council received a significant number of responses relating to parking restrictions, enforcement and parking availability in its survey distributed in July 2012.

This specific traffic study only deals with parking issues that impact upon traffic safety. Council is however undertaking a separate parking study in the Balmain Precinct and will use the responses from the survey to develop a proposed plan to address parking issues in the area. The proposed Parking Management Plan will be distributed to residents for feedback.

Further information
Noel Wootten
Traffic Engineer – Yarra City Council
9205 5742
Noel.Wootten@yarracity.vic.gov.au