Cairns council calls for 60km/h speed limit to ease traffic congestion


It's the controversial school zone that gives many motorists heading along Sheridan St a lesson in road rage.

Many motorists blame the 40km/h section near the Mother of Good Counsel School for daily headaches during the morning and afternoon commute.

With thousands of vehicles crawling from the northern beaches into the city every morning and home again in the afternoon, Cairns Regional Council is writing to the State Government to ask for the speed limit in the school zone to be raised to 60km/h to "improve traffic flow".

Council believes existing safety measures at the school zone such as a signalised pedestrian crossing and crossing supervisors justify the call to raise the speed limit without posing a safety risk to children and parents.

But it looks like the zone is here to stay, with the Department of Transport and Main Roads telling TropicNow there are no plans to remove it.

"There are currently no plans to remove the school zone on the Captain Cook Highway near the school," a TMR spokesperson said.

"We have not received correspondence from council in relation to its recent resolution on this matter, but will give any formal requests proper consideration.

"The safety of all road users, including pedestrians, remains our foremost priority.

"We are finalising an investigation into ways to improve traffic flow on the Captain Cook Highway near Airport Avenue."

Previously, it has been reported the school zone can only be changed or removed with the support of the school's P&F Association.

TropicNow has approached the P&F for comment and is waiting for a response.