A speeding B-double pulled over by NSW highway patrol at Tweed Heads on Wednesday had been modified to ‘travel at any speed’ police say.
Acting on information received from Queensland Police, officers stopped a the truck travelling on the M1 (Pacific Highway) at about 2pm Wednesday (March 9).
The truck had been detected travelling at 124kmh in a 100kmh zone of the M1.
It will be alleged that during an inspection of the vehicle at Chinderah, it was found that the truck was fitted with a pulse generator allowing it to travel at any speed.
A further search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered an electronic system allowing speedometer controls to be overridden.
The pulse generator was removed from the truck and it was defected.
The 49-year-old male driver was issued an infringement notice for travelling at 20kmh above the speed limit.
Legal action is being taken against the driver for the speeding offence and the vehicle’s failure to have a compliant speed limiter.
Inquiries are also continuing after alleged discrepancies were found in the driver’s work diary.
A speed limiter compliance notice was also issued for the heavy vehicle.
Traffic and highway patrol commander, assistant commissioner John Hartley, said there was ‘no tolerance for speeding vehicles on our roads.’
‘Combined with fatigue issues, this situation could quite have easily led to a serious injury or even a fatal crash,’ Assistant Commissioner Hartley said.
‘The police working with Roads and Maritime officers have done an outstanding job in identifying how this truck was able to breach its legally allowed speed limit on our roads.
‘Yesterday’s events and the ongoing inquiries, should send a clear message to the heavy vehicle industry that speed tampering won’t only cost them business, it could well cost their livelihoods.’
During 2015, 63 fatal crashes on NSW roads involved heavy vehicles.
Assistant commissioner Hartley said those in the transport industry need to ensure that not only is the fleet compliant, but also drivers being fit and able to operate safely on our roads.
What a surprise! I thought B-doubles were limited to 100 kph, but they all travel at 110 kph + when they can on the M1. Why aren’t the police pulling all these drivers over?
Surprise surprise, a B double travelling at excess of the speed limit and having a modified speedomoter. I didn’t know that they and semis were supposed to travel at the speed limit, I thought they must have received some special dispensation as they are always travelling in excess of the limit and often trying to get into my boot. OK not all of them all of the time, but too many for comfort sharing the road.
Well…why doesn’t the law take into account the people that are pressuring the truckies with ludicrous time deadlines!!!…..Don’t get me wrong ..speeding is wrong, but…why do they do it?…it’s because of our good friends in head offices around the country that are demanding deliveries with idiotic timing …Let’s ask them for some sort of responsibility!
Trains, mate, trains!
The NSW police seem to usually let these trucks speed. Every day driving Ocean Shores to Tweed I get passed by these big trucks speeding and driving, what I consider, in a dangerous manner. Its a nightmare when they race each other down the hills..