Left Turn on Red project
Brisbane City Council is committed to delivering safe and accessible transport options throughout Brisbane to help get you home quicker and safer. As part of this commitment, Council implemented a Left Turn on Red trial at intersections across Brisbane aimed at decreasing individual travel time and to ease congestion. All Left Turn on Red intersections were selected after being assessed for safety against Australian best practice guideline requirements, pedestrian use, and traffic volumes. The Left Turn on Red trial has now concluded with no current locations remaining in Brisbane.
Council commenced the Left Turn on Red trial in November 2013, in consultation with Department of Transport and Main Roads. Initially starting with five trial sites, the success of the project led Council to extend the sites to include 50 intersections across Brisbane. Independent research found that motorists using the Left Turn on Red intersections saved up to 9 seconds on their trip. Although a small figure, when considering motorists used Left Turn on Red 15 million times during the trial, potentially 37,500 less hours was spent on the road by motorists resulting in reduced congestion and improved traffic flow.
The Left Turn on Red project ceased on 30 June 2021, with Council sharing the reporting and statistical data collected throughout the trial with the Queensland Government (Department of Transport and Main Roads) for future consideration.
What is Left Turn on Red?
Left Turn on Red allows motorists to turn left at a red light after coming to a complete stop and giving way to other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists at the intersection. Together, let’s help keep our roads safe by following these road rules and tips.
Motorists
When turning left on red:
- turning left on a red light is only permitted at intersections where the approach has ‘Left Turn on Red Permitted after Stopping’ signage installed, as shown in the Left Turn on Red video. The usual road rules apply at all other intersections
- you must come to a complete stop and give way to other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists at the intersection before turning left.
Pedestrians
Pedestrians should follow safe practices when crossing the road and look for turning vehicles when using these intersections.
Left Turn on Red trial
Following a successful pilot at five intersections between November 2013 and April 2014, Council received approval from the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) to extend the trial of Left Turn on Red facilities across Brisbane to 50 intersections.
In late 2017, TMR approved the Left Turn on Red trial being extended by Council until 31 December 2019. TMR conditioned the trial’s extension on Council re-assessing the Left Turn on Red facilities against the New South Wales Government’s Roads and Maritime Services Traffic Signal Design Appendix – E ‘Left Turn on Red Guidelines’, issued in July 2016. Based on this re-assessment required by TMR, several Left Turn on Red facilities were decommissioned.
In late 2019, TMR approved for the trial at all existing locations to be further extended until May 31, 2021 and subsequently extended the trial for a further 4 weeks to June 30, 2021. The Left Turn on Red trial has now concluded with no current locations remaining in Brisbane.