Default speed limits on Victoria’s residential streets would be slashed to 40km/h under a proposal from a pedestrian advocacy group.

Victoria Walks is calling for default limits on local streets to come down from the current 50km/h to 40km/h in most streets, and 30km/h in some areas.

Victoria Walks executive officer, Dr Ben Rossiter, says there’s a lot of support for the idea.

“There is a significant groundswell shift in the community,” he told Neil Mitchell.

“We know from some Heart Foundation research that 66 per cent of Victorians support lower speeds in neighbourhood streets, so there is quite a big shift happening.”

The advocacy group says the change would save lives and encourage more people to walk, rather than driving.

“4.8 million trips in Melbourne each week are under one kilometre,” Dr Rossiter said.

“Lowering speeds on local streets, I think, will just give more travel options by making walking safer and easier.”

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