Late-night truck wipes out road sign overtaking in Lismore

VIDEO of several trucks hurtling through town late on Wednesday night, with one apparently failing to overtake a B-Double and wiping out a road sign.

UPDATE 12.30pm: LISMORE City Council has put temporary electronic signs the Bruxner Highway warning truck drivers to slow down to limit their noise.

A spokeswoman said due to the increase in traffic on the Bruxner Hwy from the Pacific Hwy closure, the Council had been fielding a large number of complaints about truck noise through the residential areas.

For the duration of the traffic diversion, the Council is erecting boards on the westbound run, predominantly downhill, advising trucks to limit noise.

The warning signs read, "URBAN AREA PLEASE LIMIT AIR BRAKE USE".

Flood-diverted heavy vehicles are causing late night chaos on Lismore's Bruxner Highway.

EARLIER 11.25am: IT'S UNKNOWN how many more sleepless night residents of Ballina Road and The Bruxner Highway have to endure as B-Doubles continue to roar through the regional centre each night.

Northern Star reporters shot videos of several trucks hurtling through town late on Wednesday night, with one piece of footage apparently showing a truck, following a dual-cab and a 4WD, failing to overtake a B-Double properly, crossing the double centre lines and taking out a road sign while breaking heavily.

Both vehicles slowed after the collision, but then continued driving.

Ironically, a Traffic Management Centre spokesman cited public safety as the over-riding priority in re-opening the Pacific Hwy, which would have to be cleaned and checked by engineers before the all-clear could be given.

The spokesman said any repairs identified would then have to be completed before traffic is allowed back on the highway.

"We don't have any indication as to when the highway will be re-opened," the spokesman said.

"Looking at a photo taken of Harwood Bridge today there is still water all over the road."

Lismore City Council received calls yesterday complaining about the noise and speed of the trucks.

Mayors on the Pacific Highway Taskforce will be meeting in Coffs Harbour on February 21 to discuss highway issues.

Lismore mayor Jenny Dowell took to Facebook yesterday to discuss the issue as she is unable to attend the meeting.

'The resulting truck movements from the flooding down south on Ballina Rd and The Bruxner Hwy have been horrendous," Cr Dowell posted on Facebook.

"The noise at night through residential areas is causing great distress to our community.

"We recognise the challenges of floods on all our communities and are thankful that we have been spared major devastation.

"We also realise freight has to get through but it appears that drivers of heavy vehicles are trying to make up time, are unfamiliar with our roundabouts, are using compression brakes and then accelerating rapidly."

Cr Dowell said reports indicate that large local freight companies are more considerate.

"The fact that most of these movements are occurring at night and that residents sleep with windows open at this time of year means that residents kilometres from the road hear the roar," Cr Dowell said.

"I'd appreciate having this (issue) tabled (at the RMS meeting) and thought given to temporary signage in built up areas on detours asking truckies to consider residents."

Police said they will be stepping up patrols of the Bruxner Hwy and Ballina Rd.