The days of open speed limits along sections of the Stuart Highway are numbered.
Following their landslide victory in last weekend’s Northern Territory election, the new Labor Government wasted no time in announcing it would soon reintroduce 130km/h speed limits.
“Our policy which we have taken to several elections now is that the Stuart Highway should be 130km/h,” said a spokesperson for incoming chief minister, Michael Gunner. “There will be no open speed limits under Labor. We’re backing calls from experts in the field like the Police Association and the AMA (Australian Medical Association) who have called for 130km/h to be brought back in those zones.”
The Labor spokesman said the roll-out of speed signs would occur ‘imminently’.
It was back in February, 2014,   the then Country Liberal government began a year-long trial of open speed limits along a 204-kilometre section of the Stuart Highway between Barrow Creek and Alice Springs. It later derestricted a further 132 kilometres of road connecting Alice Springs to just south of the Ali Curung rail overpass, and extended the trial to 24 months.
The idea was open speed limits would bring responsibility back to motorists to drive to the road conditions and their abilities.
Opponents of the trial claimed the quality of the selected roads were not suitable for open speed limits.
Despite the 130km/h limits, NT’s highways are still the fastest in the country.
Still way to fast cut it back to 110 I can see some people trying to tow a van at that speed.
We have just come back down that way towing a van. In the whole distance we only saw 1 car going fast. Because they can they don’i. How many accidents and road deaths have they had in this area. It is more tiring trying to sit on a slow speed than a faster one thru having to cobstantly watch the speedo.
The quality of the Stuart Highway makes it dangerous in places to drive at 80 kph never mind unrestricted speed.
The open road speed limit in Texas USA is 80 miles per hour. That is 128 kph. That is fast enough and while their road system is quite awesome, the actual road conditions are not so great. There are many large 4WD vehicles using these roads for commuting and some tow very large 5th wheelers – at this speed.
I actually very much liked the idea of open speed limits. Have a lane designated for towing, a lane for standard driving and a lane for people who can handle high(er) speed traveling. I have no problems doing 130KPH, would go faster if it were legal here.
Going 130 here is ludicrously slow, and there’d be more accidents due to fatigue,