The petition of residents of the State of Queensland draws to the attention of the House the dangerously high speed limit on the New England Highway through the village of Ballandean. This matter has been raised by the local community with the state government previously without avail. Currently the speed limit stands at 80km/h, which we believe to be excessive given the following:

• Ballandean State School abuts the Highway;
• Children and the vehicles in which they are driven are required to cross the highway to attend school;
• There are public toilets, soccer fields, a tavern, retail businesses and popular tourist attractions on the highway in the village which bring children and adults who might stray into the highway between parked cars;
• There is a curve with limited visibility for vehicles heading both north and south in the current 80km/h zone, which partially conceals busy intersections with Eukey Rd, Curr Rd, and Bents Rd; and
• There is an "overtaking lane" which converges and ends where vehicles are stopped to turn right into Curr Road.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to cause the speed limit on the New England Highway through the village of Ballandean to be reduced from 80km/h to 60km/h.