New police highway patrol vehicles being ‘rolled out’

Speedsters watch out!

Byron, Tweed and Lismore police have each recently received new highway patrol vehicles intended to crack down on speeding and dangerous drivers.

The $4.8 million statewide fleet of 28 vehicles is funded through the Community Road Safety Fund where speed and red light cameras fines go.

North Coast Nationals MLC Ben Franklin has welcomed the move, saying the new high visibility vehicles are being deployed to ‘key crash hotspots on major routes and highways’.

‘We’ve lost more than 280 people on our roads so far this year because of speed related crashes,’ Mr Franklin said.’

‘This is an investment in greater safety for our community and additional resources for our Traffic and Highway Patrol officers.

‘We are seeing an increase in fatal crashes right across the state, and in particular on regional roads.

‘To address this spike, many of these vehicles will be rolled out to the regions.

‘Drivers who continue to disobey the law while families are torn apart by loss of life on the road will have no excuse when they are caught – irresponsible behaviour will not be tolerated on NSW roads.

‘The high visibility cars will be out on highways right across NSW where speeding is most likely to have devastating consequences.

‘Speeding kills and now those who flout the law have another 28 reasons to think twice about their driving behaviour or risk being caught,’ Mr Franklin said.

The new Highway Patrol fleet will include seven brand new 4WD vehicles which will be used further afield on regional roads, where standard highway patrol vehicles cannot go.