Revolutionary Road Rule Shake-Up: NSW Axes ‘Pointless’ Speed Limits in Empty Road Work Zones
- Radical change to road work zone speed limits set to be implemented in NSW next year
- Motorists will no longer be forced to slow down through empty worksites, saving time and frustration
- However, reduced speed limits will remain in place in some areas to ensure driver safety
- NSW Government vows to introduce new standards for contractors to follow, prioritising safety and traffic flow
After years of frustration for motorists, the NSW Government has announced a major overhaul of road work zone speed limits. Under the new proposal, drivers will no longer be forced to slow down through empty worksites, saving time and reducing frustration.
The move comes after a long-standing criticism that temporary speed limits are often left in place even when workers are absent, causing unnecessary delays and congestion. NSW Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison, has promised that the change will be implemented next year, following consultation with stakeholders.
“Protecting workers and road users around worksites is critical and we will never weaken rules around safety,” Aitchison said in a written statement. “However, leaving speed restrictions in place outside construction hours often needlessly slows down traffic movement.”
The new proposal will allow speeds to be raised when construction isn’t taking place, but reduced speed limits will remain in some areas to ensure driver safety. The NSW Government also plans to introduce standards for contractors to abide by, designed to ensure speed limits in construction zones are restored when workers are absent.
The move follows a similar announcement by the Victorian Government in 2018, which proposed to restore speed limits through “empty” road works zones. However, the Victorian proposal was never put forward as legislation, and road work zones in the state typically remain at a significantly reduced speed at all hours – and sometimes for months at a time.
Motorists can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that the days of crawling through empty worksites are numbered. The NSW Government’s decision is a victory for common sense and a nod to the frustration of drivers who have long been calling for change.