New rules regarding road work speed limits outside of work hours have come into force from July 1 throughout New South Wales.
The NSW Government has updated its Traffic Control at Work Sites standard, which now states that “speed reductions in construction zones must be removed during non-work hours, when it is safe to do so”.
According to the government, “If there are no workers on site and out of work hours, the road work speed limit will be increased, as long as it is safe for motorists and pedestrians”.
This means a reduced speed limit may still be be posted and in force at road work sites after workers have clocked off because, for example, lanes may be narrower, the road surface may be uneven, or the road layout may be drastically different.
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Motorists are still required to obey temporary speed limit signs whenever they are up, even if people are not actively working on the site. Similar rules are already in place in South Australia and Victoria.
Prior to the change, road work speed limits remained in effect regardless of whether there were workers at the site or the time of day.
In a statement, Jenny Aitchison, minister for roads and regional transport, said: “Leaving speed restrictions in place outside of construction hours often slows down traffic movement. This change will help traffic keep moving, reduce frustration for motorists and make journeys across the state more efficient.”
She insisted that protecting construction workers and road users travelling through road works remains “critical”, and that the government is “not changing or weakening any rules around safety”.
The government made a pledge to change the road work speed limit rule in the run up to the last state election, which was held in 2023.