Palaszczuk Government gives green light for emergency vehicles

The Palaszczuk Government has given the green light to ground breaking technology in four additional regional Queensland centres, helping emergency workers better save lives.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the Emergency Vehicle Priority (EVP) system, which provides a green traffic signal to approaching emergency vehicles, was now live in Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Rockhampton and Gladstone.

“The time it could save ambulance or firefighting vehicles arriving at the scene of an emergency could be the difference between life and death,” Mr Bailey said.

“The EVP system gives ambulances and fire trucks top priority when responding to emergencies.

“As the population in Queensland grows and demand for emergency responses increase, the development of EVP could not have come at a better time to help us retain emergency response times into the future.

“This is why we’ve invested $13.5 million in the rollout of this technology across the state.

“My department has been working hard with Public Safety Business Agency (PSBA), Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) to get Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Rockhampton and Gladstone up and running with this internationally award-winning technology.

“Through their hard work we have implemented the system here a year ahead of schedule, bringing the benefits of EVP to the community sooner.

“Across Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Rockhampton and Gladstone there are currently 166 intersections equipped and running with EVP technology.

“We’re working on having all QAS and QFES vehicles in these areas fitted out and operational by the end of July.”

Acting Emergency Services Minister Di Farmer said the EVP system had been rolled out in other regional centres in Queensland with great success.

“EVP-equipped vehicles on the Gold Coast are showing travel time reductions of up to 26 per cent,” Ms Farmer said.

Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders said he was thrilled the Maryborough electorate was included.

“The rollout has been carried out in conjunction with emergency services to determine the routes and locations where emergency vehicles would have greatest benefit,” he said.

“This technology will ultimately save the lives of local people.”

The TMR and PSBA developed technology has won several awards, including:

• Hall of Fame award, Local Government category in October 2015 at the International ITS Congress held in Bordeaux, France.
• State Government Initiatives, and Founder’s award for Outstanding Achievement at the 2016 Australian Road Safety Awards.
• ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) award, Australian Government category in November 2014 for the successful Emergency Vehicle Priority implementation on Samford Road, Brisbane.
  

Across Queensland there are currently 2070 intersections and about 650 vehicles with EVP technology.

ENDS

Media contact: Dominic Geiger, 0447355565