Speed reduced on Thomas Rd

Speed limits on Thomas Rd will drop from from 90km/h to 70km/h in some areas in a move to improve safety along the busy and dangerous stretch of road.

The speed reduction, which will come into effect later this month, has been a long time coming for members of the Thomas Road Working Group — who formed in May last year to advocate for upgrades and improvements to the road, east of the Kwinana Freeway.

Group members Anni Richardson and Michelle Toussaint said residents had called for improvements to single-lane road following a host of accidents and “accidents waiting to happen”.

“The speed, the age of the road, the amount of trucks using it ... the road can’t handle it,” Ms Richardson said.

“There are a lot of driveways and exits along the road for a 90km/h road too ... it’s too dangerous.”

Ms Toussaint said the group wanted double lanes, but this was a “good start”.

Thomas Road was ranked the seventh riskiest road in Perth in the 2018/19 RAC Risky Roads survey.

A Main Roads audit in September found between 17,000 and 20,000 vehicles drove on the road each day.

Member for Kwinana and Deputy Premier Roger Cook said the reduction of the speed limit was just one of the outcomes of a collaborative effort between the community, the City of Kwinana, Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale and State Government.

“At the end of the day it is still a dangerous road, but a reduced speed limit will have a great impact on the people using it,” he said. Lighting could also be on the cards, with a lighting audit completed and design phase under way.

While funding opportunities are still being investigated, Main Roads WA will undertake low-cost upgrades in the interim including installation of isolated shoulder widening and sealing, sealed informal turning pockets, new line marking and additional raised reflectors on both the centreline and shoulders to further improve safety.

Works are due to begin in March and be completed before winter.