Peak hour speeds 'double' during COVID-19 lockdown

Brisbane motorists are dodging peak-hour traffic like never before due to COVID-19 as average speeds on some motorways jump more than 50km/h.

A free-flowing M1 at Loganholme during COVID-19 restrictions. Photo: Richard Gosling/AAP

BRISBANE motorists are dodging peak-hour traffic like never before due to COVID-19 as average speeds on some motorways jump more than 50km/h.

The RACQ compared the weekly average speeds of major roads in southeast Queensland from April last year to last month.

Motorists were clocked on average going 96 per cent faster on the Pacific Motorway inbound, between Springwood and Underwood Rd, during morning peak hour. The average speed for the section last April was 52km/h, compared to 102km/h during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis.

During the evening outbound rush-hour on the Centenary Motorway, speeds between Moggill Rd and Fig Tree Pocket Rd increased by 183 per cent. In April last year the average speed was 29km/h, but that increased to 82km/h in April this year.

“Average speed results were impacted by the full COVID-19 lockdown restrictions imposed throughout April 2020,” an RACQ spokeswoman said.

“When compared to April 2019, these restrictions resulted in an increase in weekday average speed.”