M1 speed limits could be future concern as government told to slow down on review

THE State Government will decide whether to permanently reduce the speed limits on the M1 after a trial during the Commonwealth Games. But one Gold Coast MP believes more time is needed.

THE State Government is being urged not to permanently drop speed limits on the M1 because of concerns a traffic scare campaign during the Commonwealth Games stuffed up a trial.

Broadwater MP David Crisafulli in State Parliament has urged the Government to have a rethink, after he was contacted by residents concerned about the review.

The Government is expected to decide by the end of the month whether to reduce the speed limit on the M1 permanently from 110km/h to 100km/h from the Logan Motorway Interchange to Gaven and 100km/h to 90km/h between Eight Mile Plains and the Logan Motorway.

The speed limits were reduced temporarily for the Games and heavy trucks were limited to the lefthand lanes.

CRASHES HALVED ON M1 SINCE SPEED LIMIT DROP

Traffic on the M1 during the Commonwealth Games. Photo by Richard Gosling

“Why I would like to urgently put this on the record is that I do not want to see us rush into a decision to make this a permanent move because I do not believe it has been adequately trialled,” Mr Crisafulli told Parliament.

“I have a group of about 100 residents whom I met while doorknocking during the election.

“I asked them their view of the reduction in these speed limits. Some of them are vehemently opposed. Some of them believe it is a good solution.

“But there is one common theme amongst almost all of them and that is we do not really know if it was effective because it was trialled during a period when the volume of traffic was not what it normally was.”

A regular M1 commuter responding to a survey by Mr Crisafulli said the speed reduction on the motorway made it worse.

M1 SPEED LIMIT COULD BE REDUCED PERMANENTLY

LNP Broadwater MP David Crisafulli sought responses from his residents about M1 speeds. Picture: Jerad Williams

“The great traffic that we experienced on the M1 during the Commowealth Games was a combination of the school holidays and locals going away or staying off the roads during this period,” the commuter wrote.

The long-term solution lay in fixing bottlenecks at Robina and Loganholme by adding extra lanes, the commuter said.

Another regular M1 driver said the reduced speed limit had made the trip less stressful.

“The righthand lane still had people in it going a little faster than me, the far left lane is filled with people who don’t know how to merge on to a major motorway and the trucks have filled the second lane,” the motorist wrote.

Traffic flowing freely at M1 Oxenford. Photo by Richard Gosling

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said temporary speed reductions on the M1 during the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games had returned to normal on April 17.

“The review will be complete at the end of May, with a full 12-month analysis of the TULL (Trucks Use Left Lane) initiative due for completion in July. Any decisions regarding the implementation of these initiatives will be made once the review is concluded,” he said.