A PUSH to reclaim car-clogged streets and make them more resident-friendly is behind a City of Vincent proposal to trial a 40km/h residential speed limit.

And it could be the start of more go-slow zones in busy inner-city hubs, according to Police and Road Safety Minister Michelle Roberts, who has backed the Vincent plan.

The council’s 40km/h trial follows a similar proposal in 2016 that did not eventuate. The suggested trial zone covers the southern part of Vincent, extending from Charles Street in the west through to the Swan River in the east between Newcastle and Vincent streets.

Main corridor roads will retain current speed limits. However, the part of Vincent Street adjoining busy Hyde Park would be a 40km/h zone under the proposal. Unlike last time, this plan does not drop speed zones outside schools to 30km/h.

Perth MP and former Vincent mayor John Carey is calling for “a new culture on our streets”, raising the issue in Parliament last week amid complaints from residents about rat-running and speeding.

“People are concerned that their streets feel unsafe,” he said, adding that locals wanted streets where they felt comfortable walking, cycling and letting their children play without fear they would be hit by a car.

Vincent Mayor Emma Cole said the council had allocated $150,000 for signs and although it was seeking financial help from Main Roads, it was prepared to go it alone.

It’s understood some residents feel 40km/h speed limits would be futile as they would not be enforced. Ms Cole said the council had tracked speeds of vehicles in certain streets, and there did not appear to be a speeding problem although residents claimed it still felt like cars were going too fast.

She said community consultation would start early next month and if there was enough support, a two-year trial could begin before the end of the year, which she hoped would highlight the benefits to the wider community.

North Perth local and member of residents’ lobby group Our Streets at 40 Geraldine Box said many parents in the area “lived in fear and dread” about their children playing outside and locals wanted to be able to use their streets more.

“It’s precious space, and it’s currently only occupied by motor vehicles and we can do more with it,” she said.

“The car domination era is coming to an end, we want a change.”

Mrs Roberts said although the Government wasn’t considering a carte blanche change to metro speed limits, she offered her help to get the Vincent trial up.

“It may well be that if this trial is embraced ... people in neighbouring councils, such as Victoria Park and Subiaco, will ask why they cannot have 40km/h speed limits on their local streets too,” she said.

A pocket in West Perth has had a 40km/h limit since the 1990s.

A Main Roads spokesman said it supported Vincent’s trial, which still required a formal application for approval. A 40km/h sign would be needed on each street in the trial zone.