Rotterdam council is to reduce the maximum speed in 115 city streets from 50 kph to 30 kph in an effort to boost road safety.

Some 55% of the city’s streets already have a 30 kph maximum. The new limit will apply to busy streets where lots of people live or where there are shops, cafes and restaurants, city officials said.

Speed bumps, narrower roads and other traffic calming measures will also be introduced to help slow traffic.

Figures show that 1,446 people were injured in a traffic accident in the port city last year and 80% took place on a street where the speed limit is 50 kph.

The investment needed will be “enormous”, Rotterdam transport chief Vincent Karremans said in a council statement. No date has yet been given for the switch.

Amsterdam introduced a 30 kph maximum on most of the capital’s roads earlier this year.