PETALING JAYA: Vehicle owners will be fined a RM150 speeding compound if found driving above the imposed speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour (kph) within any Unesco World Heritage site in Penang.
The Star reported that the speed limit regulation was imposed on all roads located in the Unesco World Heritage site zone.
Penang Island City Council’s (MPBB) Engineering Department traffic engineer Noor Munirah Raja Ahmad said that the speed limit imposed was to improve the safety of the site zone.
“We found that most motorists in the area are not able to exceed the previous speed limit of 50kph anyway, so a 10kph reduction would improve safety.
“At least two road signs of the new speed limit have been placed on each road which are subjected to the changes,” she explained.
However, this move excludes main roads such as Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong, Gat Jalan Prangin, Pengkalan Weld, Pesara King Edward, Lebuh Light, Lebuh Farquhar, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah and Jalan Penang where the speed limit is maintained at 50kph.
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Munirah added that the move was gazetted since Aug 31 2023 but was only enforced after “relevant infrastructure was put in place,” as quoted.
“Enforcement on the new reduced speed limit is effective at all times, and police would issue a RM150 speeding ticket to offenders just as any speeding offences elsewhere,” she said.
MBPP councillor Edward Tan mentioned that reducing the speed limit took into account the narrow roads to which vehicles, such as motorcycles were found speeding.
“Such a situation endangers the public, especially pedestrians, cyclists and trishaw riders.
“Based on studies conducted at foreign countries, benefits of reducing speed limits are lower accident rates and improved road users’ safety,” he said.
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