A series of Queensland towns are rolling out the red carpet – almost literally – to grey nomads and all other drivers … but it’s all about improving safety.
New visual alerts prompting drivers to slow down are being installed at the entrance to 17 towns.
Depending on the location, the installations, known as Town Entry Treatments (TET) may include red coloured road surfaces, special new speed limit signs that display the name of the town, and/or retro-reflective raised pavement markets.
The TETs are being installed progressively until early 2025 at 17 towns and localities including; Alpha, Aramac, Barcaldine, Bedourie, Birdsville, Blackall, Boulia, Cramsie, Jericho, Jundah, Ilfracombe, Isisford, Longreach, Muttaburra, Tambo, Windorah, Winton.
Blackall rolls out the ‘red carpet’. PIC: Department of Transport and Main Roads
Mr Dave Grosse, Regional Director (Central Queensland), Department of Transport and Main Roads, said the measures have been proved elsewhere to be an effective road safety measure.
“They can use bright red road surfaces and extra signs to remind drivers to slow down, helping ensure they, their passengers and other road users, including pedestrians and bike riders, are kept safe,” he said. “By early next year, there will be TET’s in place on entries to 17 towns and localities across the Central West, helping improve road safety for rural communities.”
The new installations are jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments.
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Great idea.
I really like having warnings of a speed drop ahead of the actual slower speed zone.
When you are towing a large van there is nothing worse than coming around a bend to be immediately faced with a drop in speed with no chance of slowing to the new limit in the distance you have unless you slam the anchors on.
Having prior warning allows you to slow down progressively in a much safer manner and ensures you are doing the slower speed limit as you cross into it.
Really good initiative in my view.
I think that it’s a great idea.
Why not go further & install a few gentle speed humps along the main street in the 50kph zone.
No more speedhumps please.
No to the speed humps when towing.
Or mini-round abouts that act like circular speed humps.
Please – no to the speed humps! There’s no need for those on a highway. Other than that type of TET, I think it’s an excellent idea and should be done nation wide.
No,absolute waste of money.You have 2 types of people,them that look where there going and obey the rules so don
t need this crap anyway ,and them that dont care so ignore everthing that doesn`t suit them .Been trying all this stuff here in NZ for the past few yrs ,differant paint colours for pedestrians ,and more for cyclists ,raised concrete kerbs and planters sticking out into the roads ,all is does is get motorists more frustrated.Roads are for vehicles ,allways have been,pedestrians and cyclists need to take responsability for there own welfare for goodness sake ,stop nanby pambying people !!Thats a VERY negative opinion of a positive initiative…??
in reply to Pat .
It maybe negative,but as you say it is my opinion ,and based on my experience.
Thats what free speech is about Pat .You DO NOT have to agreee with everything.!!
You make some valid points however if the relevant departments located signs in logical places it would also be a help. I have seen conflicting speed signs telling you to slow down then to speed up and then slow down and in about 1/2 km and nothing had changed in that stretch. Lunacy at its best..
I agree.
Would the paint just make the surface more slippery, especially in the wet
Motorbike riders love those slippery painted surfaces in the wet. Absolutely treacherous.
How this idea would frustrate a driver is beyond me. I think its a great idea. It definitely tells you that anything above the speed limit from here on in is likely to you cop a ticket…no bullshite answers about not seeing the speed restriction sign. The towns name and speed combined is also a money saver. I,ve seen them on quite a few towns entry points now and have also discussed them in the towns watering holes. No complaints or grumbles as the locals reckon that now there is absolutely no excuse for speeding in their neighbourhood.
I agree with Andy
It’s asif cyclists and pedestrians think they have the right of way and all drivers are responsible to keep them safe. They take absolutely no responsibility for their own safety on the roads.
Seriously where have you been for the last twenty years, this is the age of people not taking responsibility for there own actions. How many times do we hear, how was I to know, theres a cliff at the end of the Cliff walk, don’t laugh some idiot walked off a cliff at night on a cliff walk. I am not responsible for tripping on the broken path! the best one an idiot dove into the surf straight into a sandbar, cost millions in compensation Ok he broke his neck and in a wheel chair but really. There are hundreds probably thousands of people who just can’t be responsible for themselves or others.
great reply ,spot on.People keep their mind on the road,conditions be aware of what is ahead.
think lot of accidents happen lack of this
That’s in NZ ,, they know how to waste tax payer money and you can’t say a thing
We came across a number of towns with ‘red carpets’ 12 months ago when travelling south from FNQ. We were quite bemused by them, & they certainly got our attention. A good idea I think.
I think it is a Great Idea and would welcome it wherever they want to put it. Anything that increases safety for all is an advantage, but I would also up the ante on any chargers from speeding in any area where the system is displayed. At the current rate fines and licence cancelation do not appear to work. Maybe a week or two of impoundments and storage fees added on can help the speeder slow down.
Awesome idea. Just wandering whether it should be another colour like orange or even yellow. Red is used for school zones, green for cycle lanes, etc.. The government could also consider painting roundabouts in a colour and reducing speed to 30ks. To many drivers think they can race through the roundabout to out do other drivers. I just came back from Canada and roundabouts are new so everyone is cautious and respectful of other drivers. Not only that there is pedestrian crossings at every exit so a look out for pedestrians is vital…..
What a fabulous idea. Take it all around Australia.
I do like the signs that say 60km/hr ahead of a 60km/hr area. I have no problem with red painted areas and have seen a few around the country, a very good idea. Of cause, of cause there are always fools around who think that rules do not apply to them.
Yep, agree, 60km/hr ahead of a 60km/hr area – this is a good way to advise of a speed reduction coming, especially when towing, allowing plenty of time. Pehaps the ‘red zone’ could be placed before the actual speed sign?
We have had these on the Bruce Highway between Townsville and Ingham for a few years now and I reckon they are the best thing since sliced bread. It’s easy to miss a speed limit sign, but you can’t miss these. The only thing I would change is I’d make them like the old “rubble strips” which give an audible notice as well
What next maybe a loudspeaker to yell out at motorists who ignore the red paint – what happened to common sense and taking responsibility or do we need be told what to do ALL the time? for your actions
They have just added them to the 2 entrances to Gerroa south coast NSW so I’ll see how they go. Certainly can’t say “I didn’t see the sign”!
Yes, top idea. Do it.
OK if you want to spend the $$.
In SA many entrances to towns have black warning signs indicating a reduced speed limit coming up.
The problem is you can have the red carpet or prior warnings but idiots don’t care and carry on whatever.
Absolutely do. They should be everywhere in Australia . Throughout the country . It would make drivers take notice and reduce speed and then there is no excuse for not slowing down. On the other hand there is the problem of colour blindness so whats the answer for these people. All in all still think it’s better than the signs currently being used and green based signs say go maybe that’s why people speed , on the other hand red says stop so slow down …Hope it takes off. We have seen this road painted surface and thought it a good idea at the time .
If people can’t read the road signs etc then they should not be driving. All we are doing is spoon feeding drivers, complete waste of money. We are dumbing down society so much.
The red on the road will draw the drivers attention. A sign can be easily missed. It may be spoon feeding but you need to ensure that people are aware of a change in speed limits. Obviously there are drivers who will ignore the change in speed.
The RED CARPETS have been installed already at Wagga Wagga main road entrances.
At a small rural town in Victoria the local road authorities erected large signs with 60 ahead before you actually reached the 60 zone. This has made a significant difference to vehicles slowing down before reaching the small shopping area. You certainly can’t say you missed the speed zone sign. Anything that improves road safety is a bonus.
Install pre-warning sign and use more good old fashioned speed traps – many, many more! These won’t affect the competent and the revenue raised will reduce government’s need to find ever more creative ways to tax us.
I think this is a good idea…..but also have a sign just back from the colourede sec, telling drivers to PREPARE to slow.
I am currently on a trip have gone from Bundaberg to Cairns and these red markings are all the way up north on the Bruce Hwy…personally, I think it’s a great help and would even suggest painting the speed limit on the road also..some will ignore the colour, some may wonder what it means but with numbers printed on the road colour that definitely means that this is the speed heading into the town
These improvements are great! They should also put something on the road to give a physical and sound indication that they are entering a built-up area. Not a speed hump, just something small but noticeable.
I think it’s a great idea but I would like to see some consistency with the application of it around the country
An excellent visual prompt.
Works for me.