Brisbane road rule causing gridlock as cars and pedestrians told to give way to each other

STREET signs don’t come worse than this. If pedestrians and drivers ignore them, they’re breaking the law but obeying them causes total gridlock.

A T-INTERSECTION in a trendy Brisbane suburb could easily be dubbed “confusion corner” with both pedestrians and vehicles instructed to give way to the other.

The Brisbane City Council has placed signage on the corner of Welsby St and Brunswick St demanding that pedestrians “must” give way to turning vehicles.

The sign on Welsby Street telling motorists to give way to pedestrians.

The new signs, on either side of Welsby St, are in complete conflict to road signs on the same corner which direct vehicles turning right off Brunswick St, into Welsby St, to “give way” to pedestrians.

If both drivers and pedestrians followed the signs, they would forever be at a standstill.

A Brisbane City Council spokeswoman said the signs were approved by the Queensland Government and were designed to increase pedestrian safety and awareness.

The sign telling pedestrians to give way to motorists on Welsby Street.

The signs were installed in June following complaints about pedestrian crossing the road without giving way to traffic on Welsby St, the spokeswoman said.

They were designed by the Department of Transport and Main Roads together with the Toowoomba Regional Council.

“Council installed this sign in June 2017, following complaints made to Council about pedestrians crossing without giving way to traffic on Welsby Street,” the BCC spokeswoman said.

“Under Queensland Government Road Rules, pedestrians are required to give way to oncoming traffic, however, turning traffic is required to give way to pedestrians.”

The road rule telling motorists to give way to pedestrians.

Vehicles travelling along Welsby are confronted by a Give Way sign at the T-intersection of Brunswick St.

The Queensland Transport Operations (Road Use Management - Road Rules) Regulations (2009), section 69.3, state a driver facing a Give Way sign, must give way to pedestrians.

“Turning left or right or making a U-turn... must also give way to any pedestrian at or near the intersection crossing the road, or part of the road, the driver is entering, “ the paragraph reads.

The RACQ and the Department of Main Roads have been contacted for comment about who has right of way.

Originally published as Brisbane road rule causing gridlock as cars and pedestrians told to give way to each other