NSW roads minister takes aggressive stance towards rogue truckers, telling them: “Don’t take me on.”
Heavier fines and potential licence suspensions will be levelled at trucking operators and drivers who commit overheight offences in New South Wales.
In an aggressive attempt to weed out the minority of those flouting heavy vehicle road regulations, the NSW Government says it will this year increase fines for overheight offences from $2,200 to more than $3,700.
NSW roads and freight minister Duncan Gay says 2015 is not the year to test the boundaries on road rules and has issued a blunt warning to industry: “Don’t take me on.”
“In 2015, we will be increasing the already crippling fine for overheight offences from $2,200 to more than $3,700 – the highest penalty to be applied for this offence under the road rules,” Gay says.
“If I have to, I will also downgrade or suspend the licences of drivers who recklessly cause damage or disrupt other road users.
“I’m not in the mood for anyone messing around, this year I want to bring our road toll down lower than it’s ever been and if you even think about risking other people’s lives, I will come down on you like a tonne of bricks.”
Gay says more inspections and patrols will be carried out during 2015 with a focus on heavy vehicle speeding and maintenance.
He says NSW carries out more than 3 million truck screenings checking stations on major highways each year.
“In 2013, almost 37,000 trucks had on road random inspections, last year this number increased to about 100,000 and in 2015 it will be even higher,” Gay says.
“We know these operations work and since coming into government in March 2011 we have implemented the toughest heavy vehicle and compliance regime this country has ever seen and we’re delivering results.”
Gay says the number of fatalities from heavy truck crashes in NSW has dropped by 30 per cent since 2010.
Late last year Gay directed his department, the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS), to investigate the feasibility of increasing penalties for overheight offences.
Currently, the penalty for overheight offences includes a $2,200 fine, the loss of six demerit points and suspension of truck registration for up to three months.