Returning holidaymakers warned to expect ‘second wave’ of heavy traffic Camden Haven by News Of The Area - Modern Media - October 13, 2024 Police will be monitoring known regional ‘pinch points’. Image: TfNSW. THE Spring school holidays officially end today and that means hundreds of visiting families are about to pack away the beach shades, load the kids in the car, and hit the highway home. Also on the road will be those heading to Sunday’s Bathurst 1000 feature race and locals returning from their own holiday getaways, which is why Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is warning of a “second wave” of heavy traffic. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au Executive Director of Operations Management Craig Moran, said known regional “pinch points” will be monitored, including Hexham to the south and Coffs Harbour to the north. “We will be… implementing arrangements to manage congestion as required but motorists should still prepare for delays.” TfNSW has three simple tips for travellers; plan your journey, take regular rest breaks and drive to conditions. It has also created an interactive “Pinch Point Journey Planner,” which predicts delays. It can be found at myjourneynsw.info/. The Labour Day weekend was one of the busiest on state roads, with three people killed in vehicle accidents. Over four days, police attended 280 major crashes while also targeting drink driving, fatigue, mobile phone use, speeding, and helmet and seat belt offences. By the time double demerits ended at midnight Monday, a whopping 10,479 traffic infringement notices had been issued. Speeding was by far the most common offence (4124), followed by drug driving (633) mobile phone usage (312), seatbelt/helmet related offences (232) and drink driving (210). “There are still far too many people breaking the rules on our roads. It needs to stop,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman said in a statement. “We saw several incidents of drivers travelling with unrestrained passengers, including young children. “Those drivers were lucky their interaction with police was not at a crash site.” The highest number of offences on regional roads, in all categories, occurred in the Northern Region, which takes in the Camden Haven. In keeping with an alarming statewide trend, positive drug-driving tests were more than double the number of drink driving charges. By Sue STEPHENSON
