In a surprising turn of events, thousands of speeding fines issued on a bustling street have been rescinded.

The reason? State police discovered that motorists were unaware of a recent reduction in the speed limit.

This revelation has led to the withdrawal of 3,904 fines issued to drivers on Arden St in North Melbourne.

It included tickets issued between 1 July 2023 and 3 January 2024.

Victoria Police rescinded 3,904 issued fines. Image source: fanjianhua on Freepik.

The speed limit on Arden St was reduced from 60km/h to 40km/h in April of the previous year.

However, it seems that this change was not adequately communicated to the public, leading to a significant number of drivers unknowingly breaking the law.

'Victoria Police identified significantly high levels of non-compliance at this location,' a spokesperson for Victoria Police said.

'It appears this is likely due to drivers being unaware the speed limit had recently been reduced.'

'In fairness to affected drivers, fines issued will be withdrawn.'

However, it's important to note that fines issued for motorists travelling above the previous speed limit of 60km/h are not being withdrawn.

The decision to change the speed limit was made by the City of Melbourne.

'Residents asked us to improve safety and traffic management in North Melbourne during community consultation undertaken in 2022,' the City of Melbourne said.

'Since April 2023, we’ve been reducing speeds around north and west Melbourne to create consistent speed limits that improve safety for all road users.'

The community was informed of the change through various means, including road signs, a mail-out to almost 15,000 local properties, 40 road pavement markings at various intersections, and updates to the Participate Melbourne and City of Melbourne websites.

The new speed limits have been reviewed and approved by the Victorian government and were supported by Victoria Police, VicRoads, and the Transport Accident Commission.

In other news, hundreds of drivers have been caught by a 'sneaky' speed camera in an infamous 'nightmare' speed limit zone on the M4 Motorway in Sydney—one of Australia's busiest roads.

A flurry of hefty fines have been issued to motorists, including a $2,710 penalty for one.

Fayaz Khan, the unfortunate recipient of this hefty fine, argued that the speed limit changes are confusing and can lead to accidents.

Khan plans to contest the fine in court and has even considered forming a class action with other drivers who were also fined.

You can read more about this here.

Key Takeaways

• Thousands of speeding fines issued on Arden St in North Melbourne have been withdrawn by Victoria Police.
• Motorists were fined under the belief they were exceeding the speed limit, not realising it had decreased from 60km/h to 40km/h.
• The high number of infringements suggested that drivers were unaware of the recent change, prompting police to act in fairness and withdraw the fines.
• The City of Melbourne was responsible for the speed limit change, and fines for driving above the old limit of 60km/h will not be withdrawn.

What are your thoughts on this situation? Have you ever received a fine due to an uncommunicated change in speed limit? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

 

[Robbo3006]

40km per hour is ridiculous, just another money grabbing scheme by office of state revenue Australia.

 

[Free.lander]

Speed limits are necessary to provide a safe environment for us all
Of course inconsiderate , bad drives will call them revenue raisers , and they are from the bad drivers, but for us who are attentive to the roads we drive on, all speed changes are noticed and adhered to
THe saying is -- a fool and his money are soon parted , but it takes on a new meaning when in a car---- A fool and his licence are soon parted , lubricated by his money.
GET OVER YOURSELVES AND FOLLOW THE RULES --DRIVE WITH CONSIDERATION , NOT WITH IMPATIENCE.

 

[Inot54]

Be interesting to see if the fines that are left standing for those that travelled at speeds higher than the original speed of 60kph are charged for the difference from 40klh or adjusted to the amount higher than 60klh.

 

[AlanQ]

wasn't that many years back that you couldn't get residential occupancy for a property in and light industrial area. Arden St was and still is a light industrial area, but councils now see the monetary value of allowing far too many medium and high rise apartments (inner city wise then become AirBNB) to be build in these areas. Needless to say when the commuting & delivery drivers still access the roads, the solution to make more money is lets put in a reduced speed limit with small 'new limit' sign, shortly followed by a speed camera. Instead STOP allowing over development on inner city roads that were NEVER designed for the amount of traffic that now uses them. Leave as light industrial and build residential at the very least 1 block away from the major arterial roads like Arden St.

 

[Rob44]

I don't now about Melbourne but in Tasmania I note that speed limit reductions can occur simply by the the signs being changed overnight with no warning. Irony of ironies: I once copped a $120 fine and 3 demerit points for doing 70 kph (43 miles and 5 furlongs per hour) on a dual carriageway where the speed limit was 60kph (37 miles and 4 furlongs per hour) (6 miles and 2 furlongs per hour difference) and then a few months later the speed limit was upgraded to 70kph. The factor behind my notorious criminality was simply that the car's steering wheel impeded an easy glance down at the speedometer and the engine made too little noise by which to judge my speed, so as I accelerated a cop with a speed-gun naturally popped up out of hiding and booked me for my evil ways.

Even back then, some 30 years ago, the then modern cars were capable of doing well over 160kph without destroying the motor and there, perhaps, lies our problem. Why do we import cars with that capability, and greater, when all States other than the NT impose a maximum speed limit of 1I0kph? 110x5/8=68miles and 6 furlongs per hour, a speed achievable even by my former 2nd-hand 1950s-vintage Morris Oxford and Morris Cowley. Back in the day, dad once got somewhere between 60mph and 70mph out of our sit-up-and-beg Ford Popular.

PS. 1 furlong =10 cricket pitches in length and there are 80 cricket pitches to the Statute mile. The easy kph to mph conversion is to multiply the km number by 5/8 and as 8 furlongs add up to 1 mile the remainder comes out as furlongs...........Bain't nowt wrong wi' t'imperial system.

 

[Veggiepatch]

I don't now about Melbourne but in Tasmania I note that speed limit reductions can occur simply by the the signs being changed overnight with no warning. Irony of ironies: I once copped a $120 fine and 3 demerit points for doing 70 kph (40 miles and 3 furlongs per hour) on a dual carriageway where the speed limit was 60kph (37 miles and 4 furlongs per hour) (2 miles and 7 furlongs per hour difference) and then a few months later the speed limit was upgraded to 70kph. The factor behind my notorious criminality was simply that the car's steering wheel impeded an easy glance down at the speedometer and the engine made too little noise by which to judge my speed, so as I accelerated a cop with a speed-gun naturally popped up out of hiding and booked me for my evil ways.

Even back then, some 30 years ago, the then modern cars were capable of doing well over 160kph without destroying the motor and there, perhaps, lies our problem. Why do we import cars with that capability, and greater, when all States other than the NT impose a maximum speed limit of 1I0kph? 110x5/8=68miles and 6 furlongs per hour, a speed achievable even by my former 2nd-hand 1950s-vintage Morris Oxford and Morris Cowley. Back in the day, dad once got somewhere between 60mph and 70mph out of our sit-up-and-beg Ford Popular.

PS. 1 furlong =10 cricket pitches in length and there are 80 cricket pitches to the Statute mile. The easy kph to mph conversion is to multiply the km number by 5/8 and as 8 furlongs add up to 1 mile the remainder comes out as furlongs...........Bain't nowt wrong wi' t'imperial system.

I prefer the unit of velocity "cricket pitches per jiffy"....

 

[Rob44]

I prefer the unit of velocity "cricket pitches per jiffy"....

As said Gatting when Warned about batting, "That puts a new spin on it".

 

[Robbo3006]

Speed limits are necessary to provide a safe environment for us all
Of course inconsiderate , bad drives will call them revenue raisers , and they are from the bad drivers, but for us who are attentive to the roads we drive on, all speed changes are noticed and adhered to
THe saying is -- a fool and his money are soon parted , but it takes on a new meaning when in a car---- A fool and his licence are soon parted , lubricated by his money.
GET OVER YOURSELVES AND FOLLOW THE RULES --DRIVE WITH CONSIDERATION , NOT WITH IMPATIENCE.

Kiss my ass, tell the truth, you are whipped.

 

[Annna]

Speed limits are necessary to provide a safe environment for us all
Of course inconsiderate , bad drives will call them revenue raisers , and they are from the bad drivers, but for us who are attentive to the roads we drive on, all speed changes are noticed and adhered to
THe saying is -- a fool and his money are soon parted , but it takes on a new meaning when in a car---- A fool and his licence are soon parted , lubricated by his money.
GET OVER YOURSELVES AND FOLLOW THE RULES --DRIVE WITH CONSIDERATION , NOT WITH IMPATIENCE.

40 kmph speed limits are ok over short distances like in school zones but would be ridiculous on a long stretch of road.

 

[Greg350]

I don't now about Melbourne but in Tasmania I note that speed limit reductions can occur simply by the the signs being changed overnight with no warning. Irony of ironies: I once copped a $120 fine and 3 demerit points for doing 70 kph (43 miles and 5 furlongs per hour) on a dual carriageway where the speed limit was 60kph (37 miles and 4 furlongs per hour) (6 miles and 2 furlongs per hour difference) and then a few months later the speed limit was upgraded to 70kph. The factor behind my notorious criminality was simply that the car's steering wheel impeded an easy glance down at the speedometer and the engine made too little noise by which to judge my speed, so as I accelerated a cop with a speed-gun naturally popped up out of hiding and booked me for my evil ways.

Even back then, some 30 years ago, the then modern cars were capable of doing well over 160kph without destroying the motor and there, perhaps, lies our problem. Why do we import cars with that capability, and greater, when all States other than the NT impose a maximum speed limit of 1I0kph? 110x5/8=68miles and 6 furlongs per hour, a speed achievable even by my former 2nd-hand 1950s-vintage Morris Oxford and Morris Cowley. Back in the day, dad once got somewhere between 60mph and 70mph out of our sit-up-and-beg Ford Popular.

PS. 1 furlong =10 cricket pitches in length and there are 80 cricket pitches to the Statute mile. The easy kph to mph conversion is to multiply the km number by 5/8 and as 8 furlongs add up to 1 mile the remainder comes out as furlongs...........Bain't nowt wrong wi' t'imperial system.

Shouldn't need "warnings", there are signs, painted on the road and in Vic they always add a sign "New Limit". As adults, as driving licence adults we should be able to read signs as part of our driving. Many people drive on new roads (to them) everyday, they don't get warnings the speed has changed, they wouldn't know they just drive as per the signs they see (well that's would they should do.

 

[Greg350]

40km per hour is ridiculous, just another money grabbing scheme by office of state revenue Australia.

Australia is well behind world standards with speed limits, in Europe 30 is the limit used in high pedestrian areas, school zones, etc, the places we usually have 40. All throughout their residential areas they have 40, we usually have 50. In the USA they have 15, 25 in their school zones and high activity areas, that's mph which translates to 24 and 40 kph.

Even rural areas European countries have 70, 80 and 90 on single carriageway roads with Germany the only one with 100. we have 100, 110 and even 130 on some highways in NT. The USA is 55 mph, 88 kph, so our limits are faster generally.

 

[Rob44]

Australia is well behind world standards with speed limits, in Europe 30 is the limit used in high pedestrian areas, school zones, etc, the places we usually have 40. All throughout their residential areas they have 40, we usually have 50. In the USA they have 15, 25 in their school zones and high activity areas, that's mph which translates to 24 and 40 kph.

Even rural areas European countries have 70, 80 and 90 on single carriageway roads with Germany the only one with 100. we have 100, 110 and even 130 on some highways in NT. The USA is 55 mph, 88 kph, so our limits are faster generally.

Australia is well behind world standards with speed limits, in Europe 30 is the limit used in high pedestrian areas, school zones, etc, the places we usually have 40. All throughout their residential areas they have 40, we usually have 50. In the USA they have 15, 25 in their school zones and high activity areas, that's mph which translates to 24 and 40 kph.

Even rural areas European countries have 70, 80 and 90 on single carriageway roads with Germany the only one with 100. we have 100, 110 and even 130 on some highways in NT. The USA is 55 mph, 88 kph, so our limits are faster generally.

Europe is somewhat more densely populated than Oz, and its single carriageway roads are often narrow, have lots of bends and there is considerable more traffic on them than the farm tractor. The USA's 55mph limit is daft.

The standard UK limit in built-up areas used to be 30mph. I suppose we could bring back having a man carrying a red flag walking in front of a line of cars?

 

[Greg350]

Europe is somewhat more densely populated than Oz, and its single carriageway roads are often narrow, have lots of bends and there is considerable more traffic on them than the farm tractor. The USA's 55mph limit is daft.

The standard UK limit in built-up areas used to be 30mph. I suppose we could bring back having a man carrying a red flag walking in front of a line of cars?

So because we have "farm tractors" on our roads it's a good idea to go 100, 110? Yeah that makes sense, lol.

The standard UK limit used to be 30? "USED TO BE, and the standard here was 60 kph, so what.

It's irrelevant that Europe is somewhat more densely populated, that's what is being talked about, we call them High Activity Areas. HIGH DENSITY areas in Australia.

 

[Rob44]

So because we have "farm tractors" on our roads it's a good idea to go 100, 110? Yeah that makes sense, lol.

The standard UK limit used to be 30? "USED TO BE, and the standard here was 60 kph, so what.

It's irrelevant that Europe is somewhat more densely populated, that's what is being talked about, we call them High Activity Areas. HIGH DENSITY areas in Australia.

Europe is a high-density area compared with Australia. 400 million people living in an area somewhat similar to that of the NT, hence European roads need those restrictions particularly as they have bends in them.

 

[Greg350]

Europe is a high-density area compared with Australia. 400 million people living in an area somewhat similar to that of the NT, hence European roads need those restrictions particularly as they have bends in them.

Have you ever driven in rural Australia, East of the Great Dividing Range? Roads don't have bends here? haha, what a laugh.

So Australian cities are not High Density?, I think you need to have another look at our cities and density numbers, you will be surprised, yet our limits are still generally higher then Europe AND the USA

 

[Rob44]

Have you ever driven in rural Australia, East of the Great Dividing Range? Roads don't have bends here? haha, what a laugh.

So Australian cities are not High Density?, I think you need to have another look at our cities and density numbers, you will be surprised, yet our limits are still generally higher then Europe AND the USA

Yes, I have driven on Australian roads with bends in them (which rarely conform to the twisty English country lane that carries considerable traffic apart from the occasional flock of sheep and farm tractor); and Australian cities such as the urban sprawl of Sydney are not "high density" when it comes to either European or Vietnamese cities. Sydney works out at 429 people per sq km as compared with Birmingham UK at 4200 per sq km. Australia makes a big fuss over nothing. Although all cities have local areas of greater population density and thus any motherhood statements about population densities become unrealistic locally. Such local-high density areas require different driving behaviours and hence different speed restrictions.

As for Australia. I have driven in all Australian States other than WA, rural and city , dirt and tar-seal, and driving conditions here do not compare with Europe and SE Asia where I have also driven/been driven extensively. Likewise in regard to my experiences of roads in the USA. Therefore, a blanket European model for Australian speed restrictions does not conform with Australian needs as it is inappropriate.

 

[Greg350]

Yes, I have driven on Australian roads with bends in them (which rarely conform to the twisty English country lane that carries considerable traffic apart from the occasional flock of sheep and farm tractor); and Australian cities such as the urban sprawl of Sydney are not "high density" when it comes to either European or Vietnamese cities. Sydney works out at 429 people per sq km as compared with Birmingham UK at 4200 per sq km. Australia makes a big fuss over nothing. Although all cities have local areas of greater population density and thus any motherhood statements about population densities become unrealistic locally. Such local-high density areas require different driving behaviours and hence different speed restrictions.

As for Australia. I have driven in all Australian States other than WA, rural and city , dirt and tar-seal, and driving conditions here do not compare with Europe and SE Asia where I have also driven/been driven extensively. Likewise in regard to my experiences of roads in the USA. Therefore, a blanket European model for Australian speed restrictions does not conform with Australian needs as it is inappropriate.

AND we do not have speeds like there's, ours are HIGHER, so what's the problem?

 

[Rob44]

AND we do not have speeds like there's, ours are HIGHER, so what's the problem?

"Australia is well behind world standards with speed limits,....". Your words, a blanket generalisation, is the problem. Then you continue, citing European speed limits etcetara as a standard. The implication of your words is that you think Australia should adopt European standards. Australia is unlike Europe in population density, total population numbers, size and indeed in topography. Therefore certain speed limits in Australia which although appropriate for Australia, are not appropriate for Europe. It's a simple matter of horses for courses. Australia is not well behind world standards with speed limits, in particular because I doubt that there is a world standard for speed limits.

 

[Greg350]

"Australia is well behind world standards with speed limits,....". Your words, a blanket generalisation, is the problem. Then you continue, citing European speed limits etcetara as a standard. The implication of your words is that you think Australia should adopt European standards. Australia is unlike Europe in population density, total population numbers, size and indeed in topography. Therefore certain speed limits in Australia which although appropriate for Australia, are not appropriate for Europe. It's a simple matter of horses for courses. Australia is not well behind world standards with speed limits, in particular because I doubt that there is a world standard for speed limits.

Only your opinion that density is so much different. On the road at any given time there is a high density of people near and crossing roads. So I guess it's okay to be killing people at higher speeds because there's not enough people to worry about?
Or through school zones, Europe 30, we are 40 but I guess that's okay our kids don't matter as much.
I also mentioned the USA, notice you don't acknowledge that - their 15 mph limits through school zones and many residential areas, even in regional towns, oh is their density high there............NO.
You may not care about other people I do, I'm not selfish like you, I don't feel I'm more important so I should be able to go faster because I "need" to.

Yes Australia is behind many other countries in world standards when it comes to speed limits.