Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference Proceedings, 2003, Sydney

Local Area Traffic Management (LATM) is widely practised in Australia and New Zealand. LATM is concerned with the planning and management of road space within a local traffic area and often involves the modification of streets and street networks. It involves the use of physical devices, streetscaping treatments and other measures to influence vehicle operation, in order to create safer and more livable local streets. The primary aim of LATM is to change driver behaviour, both directly by physical influence on vehicle operation, and indirectly by influencing the driver’s perceptions of what is appropriate behaviour in that street. The result is intended to be an improvement in traffic-related safety for all road users of the local street. This paper presents information on LATM measures used in Australasia and outlines their effectiveness. The review of each measure is based on previous research and findings from numerous national and international resources, as well as knowledge and experience of local government authorities in Australia and New Zealand. This information can be used to assist with the selection of appropriate street modification treatments in order to address specific problems and conditions. Appropriate application for use of specific measures and their effects on speeds, traffic conflicts, traffic volumes and the local area environment are discussed.