QLD puts restricted heavy vehicles on notice

Short cuts taken by Queensland drivers of trucks weighing more than 4.5 tonnes will be monitored under a new trial announced by the Queensland Government.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) will be used on heavy vehicles that infringe the no-go zone between Rocklea and Wishart in October.

Member for Mansfield Corrine McMillan has been a vocal proponent for new measures to reduce the number of unnecessary heavy vehicles on local roads.

“Many of the people I speak to in the community raise the issue of traffic along this busy road and I have firsthand experience of this as my office is located on Mt Gravatt Capalaba Road near Garden City Shopping Centre.”

The ANPR camera technology is being trialled until the end of the year along the Brisbane Urban Corridor (BUC).

Travel time of trucks along the BUC, a link between the Gateway Motorway and the Ipswich Motorway via Mt Gravatt Capalaba, Kessels, Riawena and Granard Roads, will be monitored by the cameras to safeguard greater enforcement.

Truck times were last monitored by cameras in Queensland to boost safety and reduce congestion as part of the state road network rollout.

Traffic growth from heavy vehicles had increased said Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey.

“Traffic delays and increased safety concerns, as well as increased noise for the people who live and work in the area has simply gone too far,” he said.

“The restrictions apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week to heavy vehicles using the route for through trips.”

Heavy vehicle operators have been advised to take the Logan Motorway and Gateway Motorway as a preferable route.

The state-controlled road network will implement message signs to inform heavy vehicle operators of the enforcement.

Truck drivers who ignore the restriction will be issued with a penalty infringement notice of more than $650 for corporations or $130 for individuals including a loss of three demerit points.

“The government will trial the improved technology before penalty infringement notices with fines are issued,” said Bailey.