Mobile speed cameras to return to residential areas on Monday, free parking ends November 1

With traffic set to increase as the ACT emerges from lockdown, the ACT government has also announced Canberrans will need to pay for parking in government-owned car parks from November 1.

Mobile cameras had been focused on arterial roads, used by essential workers travelling to and from work, throughout the nine-week lockdown.

But with traffic set to increase in the post-lockdown period, the ACT government has warned Canberrans to expect a greater presence in residential areas from Monday.

And as schoolchildren return to the classroom, ACT Policing has promised regular patrols to enforce school zone limits - set at 40km/h between 8am and 4pm on weekdays.

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"With more cars on the road and kids going back to school in coming weeks, it's important for Canberrans to be road safe. Road safety is everyone's responsibility," ACT Transport and City Services Minister Chris Steele said.

"Speed limits in school zones are there to protect children by allowing motorists extra time to stop in an unexpected situation."

The ACT government argued the development will bolster its aim to have zero fatalities or serious injuries on Canberran roads.

Acting Chief Police Officer for the ACT Peter Crozier said, while COVID-19 compliance would continue, focus would increasingly shift to road safety.

"Already this year, nine people have died on the ACT's roads, and many more people have been injured. This means dozens of families grieving, or coping with major changes to their lives," he said.

"Speeding is the most common poor driver behaviour, and it is completely avoidable. I urge everyone to observe the speed limits and to drive to the conditions to stay safe on our roads."

The territory government will also end a pause on paid parking in ACT government-owned car parks from the beginning of November. It argued cars clogging up a space for hours was unsustainable going forward.

ACT Business and Better Regulation Minister Tara Cheyne said the moratorium had supported essential workers during lockdown, but its cessation would ensure better availability as workers returned to the office.

"[It] will enable greater accessibility to businesses and workplaces, supporting our local economy as we recover from the impacts of the pandemic," she said.

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