Resident fears the worst on 110km/h Tomingley Road

Ron Barber frequents the intersection of the two roads, where the speed limit on the Tomingley Road is 110 kilometres per hour.

But he said it's too fast for a road frequented by B-double trucks and users of the Narromine Waste Disposal Facility, and feared it was only a matter of time before there was a serious accident – or worse.

He has called for the speed limit to be dropped to 80km/h.

A spokesperson for Narromine Shire Council said it was not the first time the issue had been raised with council.

“The issue of an 80km/h buffer zone being implemented between the 50 and 100km/h, has been raised previously with a report being presented to the Local Traffic Committee in October, 2014,” they said.

They said Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) were responsible for setting speed limits on all roads, including the council’s.

“The RMS advised, at that meeting, that new guidelines were in place for buffer zones, and that they would no longer be implemented,” the spokesperson said.

“It was also note[d] that although the RMS sets the speed limits, it is the responsibility of the NSW Police to enforce them.

“Accordingly, there was no buffer zone, being an 80km/h speed limit between the 50 and 100km/h, implemented.”

NSW Centre for Road Safety executive director Bernard Carlon said efforts to set safe speed limits and enforce them through high visibility policing were ongoing.

“Speed is the biggest killer on our roads, contributing to about 40 per cent of all road deaths in NSW last year,” Mr Carlone said.

“153 people lost their lives last year because someone was driving too fast.”

He urged drivers to follow the speed limit, to avoid putting themselves and others at risk.

“You cannot predict what is ahead. If you drive at higher speeds, you are more likely to crash because you will take longer to stop,” he said.

“High speeds are also associated with extremely high risks of losing control of the vehicle on corners, curves or if evasive action is needed.

“We will not cease in our efforts to reduce the risks on our roads because no death or serious injury is acceptable and we are committed to moving towards zero.”