If you happen to be driving around the George Town World Heritage site zone in Penang, take note that the speed limit for certain roads located in the area has been reduced from 50 km/h to 40 km/h. If you’re caught exceeding the new speed limit, you could be in for a RM150 speeding ticket, as The Star reports.

According to the Penang island city council (MBPP), roads gazetted with the new reduced speed limit of 40 km/h are inner roads surrounded by Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong, Gat Jalan Prangin, Pengkalan Weld, Pesara King Edward, Lebuh Light, Lebuh Farquhar, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah and Jalan Penang. These main roads will however continue to have their speed limit maintained at 50 km/h.

Other roads where the 40 km/h speed limit is applicable include Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah, Jalan Padang Kota Lama, Lebuh Duke, Jalan Green Hall, Gat Lebuh Leith, Lebuhraya Merdeka, Jalan Merdeka, Lintang Merdeka and Pintasan Pengkalan 1, 2, 3 and 4.

MBPP councillor Edward Tan said that reducing the speed limit took into account the narrow roads, where speeding vehicles pose a danger to 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.

According to MBPP engineering department traffic engineer Noor Munirah Raja Ahmad, the 10 km/h reduction would not impact traffic movement. “We found that most motorists in the area are not able to exceed the previous speed limit of 50 km/h anyway, so a 10 km/h reduction will improve safety,” she said.

She added that the move was gazetted since August 31 last year, but was only being enforced after relevant infrastructure was put in place. “At least two road signs of the new speed limit have been placed on each road which are subjected to the changes,” she explained. She added that enforcement on the new reduced speed limit is effective at all times, and police will issue a RM150 speeding ticket to offenders that are caught.

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