Our favourite lord mayor Adrian Schinner is back to pushing for allowing cars to turn left on red lights (ABC article), an incredibly dangerous idea that leads to countless pedestrian injuries and fatalities in the US and other countries with equivalent rules. As the above article states, the previous study was cancelled after it found “motorists were saving just nine seconds, and causing risks to pedestrians”, but apparently the new government is open to reconsidering it. Would it be worth throwing our hat in the ring (assuming we are opposed to this)?
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I think we should advocate against this, because it would make roads even more dangerous than they are
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Im probably going against the grain here and actually really want a return of some sensible and well signed left on red after stopping.
^^ I tend to agree. I think there are some locations where a turn left on red movement could be implemented relatively safely, but others where it most certainly should not. I wouldn’t want a blanket turn left on red rule, but think it could be considered in some cases.
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I do think you could definitely do some turns safely, but IMO it’d be better to implement some sort of give way signal (blinking yellow?) instead of a red, because eroding the meaning of red = stop at all times seems wildly unsafe
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That could also be used instead of the ‘blank’ signal used when drivers have to give way to pedestrians. The number of times I’ve nearly been hit from people not realising they have it give way still even with a solid green light is far too high.
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Just to compare: Would they also be open to walk into a crossing on red if there is no traffic?
There have been a few times where the walk light is green and a car is turning into crossing pedestrians.
It could be risky given the high level of e-scooters in Brisbane.
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One issue i see with the flashing yellow is that it’s not widespread yet and i have seen so many people along ipswich road in annerley just stop and refuse to turn because they don’t understand it
Having just spent four nights up in Cairns, I found this to be a major issue across the Cairns CBD. Their traffic lights almost never have left turn arrows, so it was a free-for-all between crossing pedestrians and left turning cars.
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this idea is up there with calling a bus a Metro
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Wow, the RACQ are not behind the expansion of turn left on Red after stopping. (Courier Mail, 2025).
Saying that, RACQ want more slip lanes, which I think are worse as traffic doesn’t stop for anyone. Prime example Stanley Street slip lane onto Ipswich Road at Woolloongabba.
There are also calls for 30 kph in the city which would slow down bus traffic even more. I find 40 kph quite sufficient at the moment.
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I love that it’s called left turn on red after stopping, because I could count on one hand the number of cars that actually stopped before turning leaving Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre during the last trial. It was very much a giveaway to cars and ignore everything else kinda scenario
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The TMR guidelines specify that slip lanes must now either have a raised hump zebra crossing, or two-aspect (yellow and red). I’m not in favour of the latter, as it prioritises cars too much. Maybe if it had to be an instant reaction (i.e. press button, yellow light comes on).
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Woolloongabba needs one for traffic coming off Stanley Street entering Ipswich Road Southbound.
I did notice that on the GC at Tugan they have implemented 30kph though, so some Councils around Qld must be trialling or implementing it.
Few people read signs, even fewer follow them. You’re going to create a behaviour where people aren’t stopping.
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Two phase lights at slip lanes are TERRIBLE.
Firstly, at every example in Brisbane I have ever encountered, the two phase lights are synch’d to the main traffic lights - meaning, after you push the button, you can be waiting several minutes just to cross ONE LANE OF TRAFFIC.
Almost nobody will wait to get a green light to cross - they just go when there are no cars.
Secondly, on the odd chance that a pedestrian bothers to activate the crossing, drivers rarely actually stop because they simply aren’t looking at the lights. I’ve seen this happen numerous times at a local intersection.
Thirdly, the pedestrian crossing time is pathetically short (less than 5 seconds), so if a driver happens to be blocking the crossing at the time, you may not be able to cross until it turns red again.
Finally, the lights make it unclear who is actually meant to give way. Pedestrians are given a red light by default - so they should give way to drivers. But drivers are not given a green light (by default, the lights are blank), so they need to give way to pedestrians as per the standard rules at a slip lane. It’s extremely confusing.
In an urban environment, slip lanes need to be removed (ideal case scenario - combined with pedestrian crossing signals dwell on green), or a raised wombat crossing to ensure drivers give way.
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RACQ and Queensland Walks were in the media yesterday as against it.
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