Labor pledges to scrapping “frustrating” road rule if they win election
One of the state’s most “frustrating” road rules will be scrapped if there is a change of government at the next election.
NSW
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It is one of the most annoying road rules but it will be scrapped next year — if Labor wins the state election.
Under NSW road regulations, drivers must slow down to 40km/h when passing by roadworks. The problem is, the rule still applies even if there is not a single worker present at the site.
While it may not bother drivers in the city, who are already forced to slow down for a variety of reasons, the state opposition claims it is one of the biggest bugbears in the bush where speed must drop from 100km/h to 40km/h.
Labor has pledged to scrap the special speed limits at roadworks sites outside of work hours, where it is deemed safe to do so.
The move, which is in line with other states such as Victoria and South Australia, follows a report from the NSW parliamentary inquiry into mobile speed camera enforcement programs that raised concerns about the application of lower speed limits in work zones “when works are not occurring”.
The report recommended Transport for NSW consider “reviewing the safety benefits and nature of appropriate speed enforcement” in roadwork zones.
State Opposition Leader Chris Minns said speed cameras at roadworks sites were often adjusted to the displayed lower limits, meaning drivers faced heavy fines, demerit points and licence suspension for travelling at the normal speed limit, even when it was safe to do so.
“We want to return speed limits to normal when work isn’t taking place and there is no requirement from a safety perspective,” he said.
“This is a commonsense policy. We have seen this work in other jurisdictions, now it’s time for NSW to get up to speed.”
State opposition roads spokesman John Graham said forcing motorists to slow down when it was unnecessary only served to frustrate drivers and thus endanger workers.
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