From today, mobile speed vans will be back in Canberra’s suburbs, including near schools, while paid parking will return in mid-November.
ACT Ministers Tara Cheyne and Chris Steel said these measures would support community safety, as traffic around town would increase now lockdown was over.
“Together, this activity supports the ACT Government’s commitment to Vision Zero – no deaths or serious injuries on our roads,” Ms Cheyne and Mr Steel said.
Slow down in the suburbs
Mobile speed detection vans will return to residential streets, and police will regularly patrol school zones to make sure Canberrans drive safely. During lockdown, mobile speed detection vans monitored main arterial roads, as many essential workers still travelled to and from work each day.
“With more cars on the road, and kids going back to school in coming weeks, it’s important for Canberrans to be road safe,” said Mr Steel, Minister for Transport and City Services. “Road safety is everyone’s responsibility.”
40km/h school zones are in place between 8am and 4pm Monday to Friday. Speed limits in school zones protect children by giving motorists extra time to stop in an unexpected situation.
ACT Road Policing will still conduct ‘anytime, anywhere’ COVID-19 compliance checks throughout Canberra, but as traffic volumes increase, so will police officers’ focus on road safety.
Assistant Commissioner Peter Crozier, Acting Chief Police Officer for the ACT, urged Canberrans to slow down, “to observe the speed limits and to drive to the conditions to stay safe on our roads”.
“Speeding is the most common poor driver behaviour, and it is completely avoidable,” Mr Crozier said. “Already this year, nine people have died on the ACT’s roads, and many more people have been injured. This means dozens of families grieving, or coping with major changes to their lives.”
Paid parking returns
From 1 November, Canberrans must pay for parking in all government-owned carparks – and cop a fine if they don’t. During lockdown, the ACT Government paused paid parking in its carparks, including within town and group centres, and near hospitals and healthcare facilities in the CBD, to support essential workers.
Ms Cheyne, Minister for Business and Better Regulation, said resuming parking operations would ensure road safety and parking availability; limiting parking times led to turnover of vehicles.
“This will enable greater accessibility for customers to businesses and workers to workplaces, supporting our local economy as we recover from the impacts of the pandemic.”
Mr Steel reminded drivers to park safely and legally– including at paid parking locations. Parking across pedestrian crossings, on street corners, across footpath and verges, and double parking create safety risks, and makes it more difficult for other motorists and pedestrians.
