Safety measure at scene of Pacific Highway tragedy to be installed by September
March 21, 2012
The New South Wales Government will accellerate installation of
point-to-point cameras for heavy vehicles travelling between Urunga and Valla, following January’s Urunga truck crash tragedy.
The tragedy occurred when a ute driver, who police say had more than the legal limit of alcohol in his system, crashed into a B-double, killing him instantly. The impact
forced the truck
off the road and into a house in the town, killing a boy and sending the truck driver and his passenger to hospital.
NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell and Roads Minister Duncan Gay say the cameras will be in place by September.
“After the recent tragic crash in Urunga, the NSW Government has fast-tracked a number of safety improvements for the Pacific Highway through Urunga which include the installation of point-to-point cameras,” O’Farrell says in a statement.
“We are determined to do everything we can to increase safety on our roads and minimise the number of accidents.
“A detailed assessment was carried out by Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) to determine the suitability of point-to-point enforcement along this stretch.
“The assessment looked at the crash history and speed compliance in the area and the results showed point-to-point enforcement would be beneficial between Valla (Oyster Creek) and north of Urunga on the Pacific Highway.
“We are also implementing other safety improvements including speed-limit reviews, a town entry feature to highlight the transition from rural to urban speeds and switching the existing decommissioned speed camera into warning mode.”
Gay says that, once installed, point-to-point enforcement lengths in NSW will number 22, with six of those on the Pacific Highway.
“Observations show there has been a very high level of compliance with speed limits in the point to point lengths, demonstrating how effective the program is in improving road safety where they are installed,”Gay
adds.
“There are 16 point-to-point enforcement lengths currently operating across the State, with 13 issuing fines and three issuing warning letters to speeding heavy vehicle drivers. Six more are planned.”