Transport, Main Roads to help police investigate deadly Bruce Highway Greyhound bus crash

Transport and Main Roads has confirmed that it will assist the police investigation into the deadly Greyhound passenger bus crash on the Bruce Highway that claimed three lives. LATEST.

TMR said its thoughts went out to the families and friends impacted by the tragedy, “as well as our emergency services teams and hospital staff who provided and continue to provide assistance during this very difficult time”. Picture: 7News

Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has confirmed it will help the Queensland Police Service in its investigation into the tragic triple fatal Greyhound bus crash on the Bruce Highway.

The horrific accident at Gumlu on Sunday claimed the lives of a 56-year-old Townsville woman and two other women in their 20s and 30s.

The bus they were allegedly crossed the centre line and collided head on with a caravan being towed by a four-wheel drive.

A TMR spokesman confirmed their involvement: “QPS is currently looking into the circumstances of the accident and will take the lead in the investigation.”

“It is also standard practice for Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) staff to investigate fatal crashes on our network, working closely with QPS as part of the investigation.”

Townsville Health and Hospital Service has provided updates on the injured victims: a 24-year-old man remains in critical condition, a 23-year-old man is in serious but stable condition, and two other men, aged 27 and 51, are stable.

Bruce Highway near Gumlu where a Greyhound bus and caravan collided.

In a statement, TMR said its thoughts went out to the families and friends impacted by the tragedy, “as well as our emergency services teams and hospital staff who provided and continue to provide assistance during this very difficult time”.

The spokesman said road safety was the department’s “top priority”.

“We have significant investment programs and priorities that underscore our commitment to making all Queensland roads – including the 1,673 kilometre Bruce Highway from Brisbane in the south of the state to Cairns in the north – as safe as possible,” he said.

Photographs taken in the immediate aftermath of a horror fatal Greyhound passenger bus crash at Gumlu on the Bruce Highway south of Ayr on Sunday. The bus driver, picture, miraculously survived. The bus carrying 33 passengers was travelling north when it collided head on with a caravan being towed by a four-wheel drive driven by an elderly couple. Three passengers on the bus were killed while two others remained in critical conditions in Townsville University Hospital on Monday morning. Picture: Supplied

In 2023, TMR convened a Road Safety Roundtable that brought together more than 40 transport experts, including academics, road operators, user advocacy groups and industry leaders to explore options to improve road safety.

“New initiatives from the roundtable build on our existing commitments under the Queensland Road Safety Action Plan 2022–24, and form part of a substantial reform agenda over the life of the Queensland Road Safety Strategy 2022–2031,” the spokesman said.

“As part of the 2024-25 State Budget and the $37.4 billion Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program, the Queensland Government will increase its annual Bruce Highway funding commitment to $250 million per annum from 2027-28 onwards.”

The Queensland Government has also released the 15-year Vision and Action Plans for the Bruce Highway and the Safer Bruce 2030 Action Plan, endorsed by the Bruce Highway Trust Advisory Council (BHTAC), and finalised following the Australian Government’s Infrastructure Review in 2023.

TMR said the Australian Government had funded the completion of seven new overtaking lanes at four locations on the Bruce Highway between Bowen and Ayr, including new overtaking lanes at Arrow Creek and Slater Creek north of the Gumlu crash site.

The spokesman confirmed that existing safety measures at Gumlu included “wide centre line treatment and audio tactile centre and edge line markings”.

There is no median barrier separating the single southbound and northbound lanes, nor is there a road shoulder.

Photographs taken in the immediate aftermath of a horror fatal Greyhound passenger bus crash at Gumlu on the Bruce Highway south of Ayr on Sunday. The bus driver, picture, miraculously survived. The bus carrying 33 passengers was travelling north when it collided head on with a caravan being towed by a four-wheel drive driven by an elderly couple. Three passengers on the bus were killed while two others remained in critical conditions in Townsville University Hospital on Monday morning. Picture: Supplied

The BHTAC has recommended the delivery of the following priority upgrades – which

will be used to inform future funding decisions for the Bruce Highway – on the Bowen to Ayr section (which includes Gumlu) over the next 15 years:

• Euri Creek to Abbot Point bridge widening and safety upgrades, including wide centre line treatment (WCLT)

• Abbot Point North bridge widening and safety upgrades, including WCLT

• Splitter Creek to Plain Creek widening and safety upgrades, including WCLT

• Priority WCLT widening and pavement rehabilitation upgrades

• Priority intersection upgrades

• Slater Creek bridge replacement, including WCLT

Originally published as Transport, Main Roads to help police investigate deadly Bruce Highway Greyhound bus crash