QLD Border: New pass revealed as police say M1 border checkpoint must be single lane

Police have insisted the M1 border checkpoint cannot be more than a single lane despite motorists facing “many more months” of lengthy delays. Here’s why.

Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler shows the new-look border pass. Picture: Brianna Morris-Grant.

MOTORISTS face “many more months” of lengthy delays after Gold Coast police revealed they have no choice but to close all lanes bar one at the border checkpoint.

Delays upwards of two hours have prompted several calls from drivers to open a second lane at the M1 checkpoint, with up to 100,000 vehicles a day passing into the Coast.

But Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said the single lane crossing and crawling speed limits are “for a very good reason”.

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“We can’t simply allow vehicles to come through in two lanes because we have police and SES volunteers standing on the road trying to assess these vehicles,” he said.

“They need to be able to be safe.

Traffic at the border crossing from NSW on the last day of school holidays. Photograph: Jason O'Brien

“The other thing we do is reduce the speed from 100-110km/h down to 40km/h, and that has a knock-on effect for the traffic.

“If we don’t do that we put the lives of those police and SES workers in danger. I’ve been down there myself and seen some near misses, particularly on the Gold Coast Hwy.

“Vehicles are coming in at double that speed limit.

“If we had two lanes operating, I’ve got no doubt there would be serious injury or fatality.”

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Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said there would be delays for “many more months to come”.

“Some people have expressed their frustrations and I understand that,” she said.

“It’s not normal times, it is COVID. This will continue to be the case for many more months to come.

“In fact, for us it’s business as usual and we expect it to continue for quite some time yet.”

How the new pass will look. Picture: Brianna Morris-Grant.

On Thursday Supt Wheeler warned Gold Coast-Tweed drivers and families long delays are an “iron-clad guarantee” at the border despite the introduction of a new look border pass.

The new-look pass that came into effect at noon on Wednesday was designed to make the crossing “a lot ­quicker” for motorists, according to authorities. The design prominently displays the ­expiry date and pass status for staff at the border checkpoints.

Supt Wheeler conceded there would still be major delays for ­commuters.

“But it will mean a real difference to staff working the border and will get (drivers) through a lot quicker,” he said.

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However, asked when the situation at the border would ease, he said the long delays were “an iron-clad guarantee”.

“I acknowledge, as I have all week, there have been inconveniences and delays, some real angst caused,” he said.

“Of course, that is unfortunate but unavoidable. Our staff are doing everything to get them through as quickly as they can.”

Workers putting the new border wall in place in Coolangatta yesterday. Picture: Nigel Hallett.

Police also ordered an immovable 700m section of wall for part of the Coolangatta-Tweed borderline to stop frustrated locals trying to drive across embankments in a bid to avoid checkpoints.

The new wall, installed by Gold Coast City Council workers on Thursday afternoon, runs almost the length of Dixon St.

The water in the temporary fence makes the barriers so heavy motorists or pedestrians are unable to move them to get through.

The order followed problems mainly with border residents, including Tweed Heads Hospital visitors, skirting the border blockade.