Changes to ‘no stopping’ zone penalties

Motorists won’t lose demerit points for parking in ‘no stopping’ zones, thanks to new transport amendments, which also benefit long vehicles, cyclists, and mobility riders.

Demerit points will no longer be part of the penalties for breaches to ‘no stopping’ signs. Picture: Courier-Mail.

Queensland motorists will no longer being slapped with two demerit points for parking in “no stopping” zones after amendments to the state’s enforcement regulations were officially tabled in state parliament on Thursday.

Under the changes tabled this week in parliament, there are no demerit points deducted for stopping in a “no Stopping” zone but the fine is still $64.

Prior to changes, the state legislation stipulated contravening stopping or parking signs in Queensland could result in three demerit points and the $64 fine.

The only change to the state legislation has been the removal of the demerit points.

Prior to the amendments, if the violation had occurred in a school zone, the penalty was higher, at $362 and two demerit points, reflecting the increased risk to children’s safety in those areas.

Under the amendments, long vehicles over 7.5m, are exempt from keeping left of a dividing line in certain situations including when turning left or navigating engineered bends in a road.

Bus traffic light rules, which previously operated in bus lanes, have been extended to bus-only lanes and cyclists and personal mobility device riders are exempt from keeping to the far left when approaching and entering single-lane roundabouts.

Previously, the rule exempted riders from having to keep to the far left while they were inside a single-lane roundabout. The amendment extends the exemption to also include the approach to a roundabout.

The amendments also include minor updates to better clarify sections of Queensland’s road rules and bring them into line with national legislation.

Gender terminology has been updated with non-gender terms along with illustrations on some road signs including the mobility scooter signs.

Two of the new graphics included in the amended traffic regulations. Picture: TMR

Images which depict the border of painted traffic islands, have also been updated to show a continuous line instead of a dashed one.

The regulation also lists additional types of permissible “digital authorities” including a variety of industry licences that can now be stored and displayed in the Queensland Digital Licence app, which is part of a broader move towards a whole-of-government Digital Wallet.

The Transport Legislation Amendment Regulation, which is administered by the Transport Department, was also deemed compatible with the Human Rights Act.

It was signed off by the former Transport Minister Bart Mellish in September, days before the government went into caretaker mode on October 1.

Originally published as Changes to ‘no stopping’ zone penalties