A new Police speed zone crackdown for Victoria

[RG]

But with a twist!

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vic...-1225909847862

Originally Posted by Herald Sun

ANNOYING roadworks speed zones in force where workers have knocked off will be axed under a State Government clampdown.

Roads Minister Tim Pallas said motorists were frustrated when signs were left up despite roadworkers having finished for the day.

“We expect drivers to do the right thing when travelling through work zones, but it is just as important that contractors adjust or remove their speed limit signs in a timely manner,” Mr Pallas said.

Under new guidelines to come into force on September 1, roadworks speed limits can be no more than 20km/h below the normal limit, barring exceptional circumstances.

Contractors who fail to comply will be banned from government work.

RACV public policy manager Brian Negus said the organisation had been inundated with complaints from members about roadworks speed zones.

“The past record of VicRoads in these matters has not always been 100 per cent and monitoring from VicRoads has been inadequate,” said Mr Negus.

“This plan requires thorough monitoring and quick action from VicRoads to follow through on implementing these changes to ensure safer conditions for road users and an easing of the frustrations they face when travelling on Victorian roads.”

Australian Workers’ Union Victorian secretary Cesar Melhem said more respect for speed limits would mean a safer workplace.

“We hear stories from our members every day of incidents and near-misses that could, and sometimes do have serious consequences,” Mr Melhem said.

Motorists who see inappropriate speed zones have been asked to report them to VicRoads on 131170.

Oh my god they're doing something FOR motorists and making life easier.

Love the " roadworks speed limits can be no more than 20km/h below the normal limit, barring exceptional circumstances." bit.

Exceptional.

[JamesR]

YESSS!
now all they need to do is lift speed limits on hiways to atleast 110 and ill be happier.

[Bearman]

Smells like an election coming. This, along with relaxing water restrictions. What's next?? It's all good but the Brumby muppets won't be getting my vote......

[michael_ozzie]

"Banned from government works"

Well give this a week, and come September 7, there will be no contractors still in work on government roads.

[DivHunter]

Originally Posted by michael_ozzie

"Banned from government works"

Well give this a week, and come September 7, there will be no contractors still in work on government roads.

There are a lot of roads that don't even come under VicRoads anyway. Traffic management is often a seperate contractor to the ones doing the works as well.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Bearman

Smells like an election coming. This, along with relaxing water restrictions. What's next?? It's all good but the Brumby muppets won't be getting my vote......

haha, same thought came to my mind. But at least this is a win.

[aussie muscle]

i complained about this issue to the NSW transport minister as a road zone was left up over the Long Weekend (four days!!). he contacted the RTA for an explanation, which was "loose stones from prior road works were considered a risk"

[Fireblade]

Here in SA if there is no workers present at the road works, speed limit reverts back to the original zone limit prior to the roadworks.

[Kryton]

Doesnt really change anything - they can still leave signs out, even after the work day, so long as they are 20kmh or less than the speed limit - even if the works were away from the road and not on the road itself (ie: working on the side of the road and reduced the limit in work hours for their safety - not the safety of the road users).

[GS608]

Nothing worse than going through a newly completed piece of road only to be stuck doing 40kph at 11pm or 5am because they left cones just off the side of the road or the barriers.

Good to see at least one Govt in this country using the smallest bit of common sense!

[hawke]

I saw some road works today on the bike track that goes alongside the M7 near Eastern Creek in Sydney today.

They had a 40kmh contstruction speed limit on the bike track, along with two stop go people. This is the bike track not the road.

And the RTA wonders why people think they are d***heads.

Your tax dollars at work.

[vztrt]

http://www.caradvice.com.au/81339/vi...it-crack-down/

Victorian road work speed limits revised
By Brett Davis | August 25th, 2010

In a recent Herald Sun report, Roads Minister Tim Pallas said motorists are tired of having to obey to reduced road work speed limits, even when the workers had clocked off for the day.

Tim Pallas would like to see the workers respect the laws and remove speed limit signs after they clock off. Pallas said in the report,

“We expect drivers to do the right thing when travelling through work zones, but it is just as important that contractors adjust or remove their speed limit signs in a timely manner.”

As of September 1, road work speed limits can be no lower than 20km/h below the original speed limit, except during special circumstances. Not only that, workers will be banned from working for the government if they fail to remove the signs or if they post ridiculously low limits.

Motorists who endure any ridiculous road work speed limits are encouraged to contact VicRoads on 131170.

Source: Herald Sun and AdelaideNow

[Pattey215900]

I like the gov latest ad's "do you see what is see" i see drivers worrying too much concerning what speed they should be doing rather than whats in front of them

[MO]

Originally Posted by hawke

I saw some road works today on the bike track that goes alongside the M7 near Eastern Creek in Sydney today.

They had a 40kmh contstruction speed limit on the bike track, along with two stop go people. This is the bike track not the road.

And the RTA wonders why people think they are d***heads.

Your tax dollars at work.

More to the point its the people who write the OH&S rules.

[Kryton]

We have a train crossing that crosses a road (Rooneys Rd for the locals) but that line hasnt been used in around 12 years and has been rocked over before the road so no train can cross it anyway.
The stop signs are still there and even though a train cannot physically cross that road any more, so you can still get fined if you dont stop and look before driving over the tracks - the local police even mentioned this is the local paper (because there were complaint - the law is the law).

Now for the OH&S B.S:
Another Km further down that track (that is blocked off as i mentioned above), there were some works being done to the old wooden train bridge (that hadnt had a train on it in probably 25 years).
Now OH&S states that for any works to be carried on/around train tracks, there must be a spotter present for the whole time.
A guy was paid full rates, to sit in his car and watch the train tracks for a train that hasnt used that line in 12 years and could not physically get past the barriers in place.
Took the local paper to put an end to the nonsense.

[Jim Goose]

It would be up to the state rail authority to remove the signs from the line as they have the "rights of way" I think the term is.

I dunno what the exact area of ownership is, but a few meters either side of the rail line is their property to maintain etc... Id be complaining to the state rail authority.

Even when a line is closed they are obliged to keep it "safe"...

Last time I went to Chillago (in the middle of nowhere inland from cairns) the rail line had been closed for 8yrs.... the Stop signs are still there at the crossing.

And its about time that local authorities crack down on speed limit signs left out when no one is around and the road is "safe".... !

[LTDHO]

Nothing to help the motorist. Still doing 80 in 100 and 60 in 80 and 40 in 60.

Still slow moving when no one is working!!

[russellw]

We need to align our legislation to that of SA where the signs (if still in place) are deemed to be inoperative if there is not a worker on site.

Cheers
Russ

[kennyboy]

to the peoples complaining about the 20km rule it only applies to signs left in place in "exceptional" circumstances. or where workers are present. The S.A. rule sounds good but there are worksites where you can't see if any ones there- i.e. ringroad where big concrete blocks are placed along side. Semi driver might see but I sure can't! As for you guys who complain about ohs rules, ever tried to fix broken down car on road with cars/trucks going past at speed limit? Try working all day like that.

[Bucknaked]

We have road works at the moment on a major road. Goes from 100 to 80 and straight to 40 into the road works. 20 under would be nice. And the signs are left there, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Rain, hail or shine. Public Holiday or Sunday afternoon.

[Gray Beard]

It's 'nice' for the Minister to say those 'nice' words - and just 3 months away from an election - nothing wrong with that !!!

It really is about time that something was done about the Roadworks Speed Limits to start to get some sort of credibility back into the whole speed limits thing.

But most probably the best place to start getting it right, and this is really where the Minister would have the most influence, is on the big roadworks projects on the major arterial roads and freeways, which are directly under the control of the state road authority - VICROADS. If he can't get the authority that approves the R/W speed limits to have them right on their projects, then what chance on the smaller jobs?

But then, once Minister Pallas has sorted out the 'temporary' roadworks speed limits, maybe he can then concentrate on some of the everyday permanent speed limits and get some credibility and consistency into them - all before November 27, of course.

Not that I'm against R/W speed limits - they're necessary in a lot of situations - and it's not just about the safety of the roadworks crews when they're on the road/close to traffic. There is also the safety issue of the travelling public after work may be finished for the day, but the road has not been returned to its (original) high speed standard - excavation beside the traffic lanes not finished, traffic lane widths reduced or traffic deviated etc, etc.

Maybe we (I) shouldn't be too critical, or should I? So let's see whether anything really happens on this issue, or will it be just a whole lot of 'nice' words for the next three months?????

[MO]

@Gray Beard,yes I would expect a whole lot of nice words from 'Timmy'. I remember him from my days as a union secretary and he was our industrial officer.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by F6 FOON

Here in SA if there is no workers present at the road works, speed limit reverts back to the original zone limit prior to the roadworks.

Not here. I have often seen police cars doing speed check at 10pm in road works that have no one actually working at them.
The roadwork I am thinking of was 100, dropped to 80 for road works, then in some places dropped to 60 for road works.
Then the stupid cops go there in the middle of the night to catch people doing more then 60, in an original 100 zone, it's stupid bull **** revenue raising. Most of teh "road works" zone has not even been affected. Most of the work was on the Adjacent Rail road track.