Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner’s push to bring back left at red lights on Brisbane roads
Adrian Schrinner is pushing to bring back a controversial road rule allowing motorists to turn left at red lights, after it was shut down by the Labor government in 2021. VOTE IN OUR POLL
A new push to allow motorists to turn left at red lights has been launched after the former Labor state government axed it four years ago.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said on Tuesday that he had written to the government to resurrect the rule in an effort to ease the city’s traffic woes.
More than 15m left turn on red manoeuvres were made by commuters in the eight years after it was first trialled.
But former Labor Transport Minister Mark Bailey reduced the number of traffic lights where it was permitted from 55 to 17 about seven years ago before scrapping the trial in 2021.
“Reducing unnecessary delays will help keep Brisbane moving, which is why we support the use of left turn on red,” Mr Schrinner said.
“Our successful Brisbane trial of left turn on red proved it works and safe.
“Drivers saved time by making more than 15 million left turns on red.
“Despite 85 per cent of residents being supportive of expanding the successful trial the former Labor Government scrapped it and put politics ahead of people.”
Some of the turn left on red locations included Kitchener Rd at Ascot, Beaton St at Coopers Plains, Edge St at Murarrie, Given Terrace at Paddington, and Muller Rd at Taigum.
Mr Bailey, an avid cyclist, said he backed the idea until results of the trial started to come in.
“I was a big fan of the idea too until I saw the outcome of the trial over a number of years, which showed pedestrians were at much higher risk of being hit by vehicles performing the left turn while they looked right,” he said.
“If that increased risk results in someone losing their mother, father, son or daughter, it’s simply not worth it.
“Lord Mayor Schrinner’s responsibility to prevent deaths on our roads is more important than saving someone 5-10 seconds.”
According to a Courier-Mail reader survey in 2021 when the rule was axed, 88 per cent of more than 2700 voters called for the rule to stay.
Mr Schrinner said the left run on red was legal in Queensland.
“The only reason it can’t operate is because Labor changed the manual to ban the signs” he said.
Mr Schrinner said it was a commonsense rule that still worked safely in New South Wales.
“If it’s good enough for Sydney, it’s good enough for Brisbane,” he said.
“I’ve asked the Crisafulli Government to fix Labor’s mistake and bring Queensland’s road rules into the 21st century.”
Mr Schrinner said he was transport committee chair at the time the change was first trialled.
“It was something well received by the people until Mark Bailey got involved. He really tried to stymie it,” he said.
He pointed out that there were only two accidents in 15 million moves, none of them involving cyclists or pedestrians.
But Mr Bailey, an avid cyclist, said he backed the idea until results of the trial started to come in.
“I was a big fan of the idea too until I saw the outcome of the trial over a number of years, which showed pedestrians were at much higher risk of being hit by vehicles performing the left turn while they looked right,” he said.
“If that increased risk results in someone losing their mother, father, son or daughter, it’s simply not worth it.
“Lord Mayor Schrinner’s responsibility to prevent deaths on our roads is more important than saving someone 5-10 seconds.”
TIMELINE
2013 – Council started a left turn on red trial at five locations.
2015 – trial was expanded to 50 intersections – across the trial sites residents saved on average between 9 and 30 seconds
2018 – Labor State Government changed the rules and reduced locations from 55 to 17
2021 – Labor State Government Transport Minister Mark Bailey shut down left turn on red in Brisbane
2025 – Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner writes to Crisafulli Government asking Minister Mickelberg to reinstate left turn on red.
