How motorists are dodging death by using a pub car park for a U-turn to get on the M1

Motorists are using a pub car park to take a dangerous U-turn to get access through a notorious M1 exit on the Gold Coast. SEE THE VIDEO.

MOTORISTS are using a pub car park to get access through a notorious M1 exit on the Gold Coast, State Parliament has been told.

Video footage shows motorists heading north on a feeder road past Exit 57 at Oxenford taking a right turn into the tavern, which then allows them head to south back on to the Pacific Motorway.

Slow moving traffic along the M1 near Oxenford. (AAP Image/Regi Varghese).

Theodore MP Mark Boothman told Parliament: “It happens all day, every day. Every 15 seconds a car did a U-turn through the car park.”

“Hope Island Road carries extensive traffic caused by a lack of foresight or vision to build a proper intersection. The residents use alternative roads such as Michigan Drive that are not designed to take such volumes of traffic.

“Residents continuously complain to me about the increased traffic on local thoroughfares. We have to take into consideration the massive amount of development in my local area.

“The Queensland Government statistician’s office estimates a population increase of around 15,000 people moving into the area around Exit 57 by 2031.

Exit 57 at Oxenford as seen on Google Earth maps — the tavern has the red roofing.

“We will have an extra 5000 people around Hope Island, 1700 people around Oxenford – which does not include the redevelopment of the acreage lots, 4000 people around Helensvale and, according to the data, around 7000 people in the Upper Coomera area.”

Mr Boothman said residents wanted a permanent traffic solution that had vision.

He said he and fellow LNP MP David Crisafulli had started a petition to highlight the congested overpass.

“A solution must include bypasses and flyovers that allow for the continuing movement of traffic, avoiding queues at traffic signals,” Mr Boothman said.

Work began in April last year on the State Government’s $25 million upgrade of Exit 57 designed to cut travel times at the intersection by 40 per cent.

The Bulletin understands Main Roads is engaging with the tavern and maintains there had been “minimal complaints”.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said Mr Boothman’s persistent negativity was predictable and contrasted with his silence when the LNP failed to spend one new dollar on the M1 in power.

“This upgrade is not yet finished construction or even open and the LNP repeat their relentless negativity and knocking, just like they have on Queensland’s world-leading response to COVID-19.

“The $25 million upgrade at Oxenford is on track to finish in September and has been designed to double capacity and simplify traffic movements so traffic passes through it more quickly.

“It’s one of the busiest M1 interchanges and has traffic unsafely queuing back on the M1 off-ramps after the Newman Government ignored the interchange when in power.”

Traffic jam around feeder roads at Oxenford. (AAP Image/Regi Varghese).

Area councillor William Owen-Jones is waiting on Labor and the LNP to put forward longer-term solutions in the lead-up to the State poll in October.

He said motorists began using the vacant pub car park for U-turns during the COVID-19 restrictions.

But safety issues were now arising given patrons had begun returning to the tavern.

“It is a problem. If there is an alternative design proposed, I’d love to see it,” Cr Owen-Jones said.