NSW
Permanent road rule changes have
come in effect across New South
Wales, in a move designed to
improve the safety of emergency
services personnel.
As is law in some other states
including Victoria, motorists will now
be forced to slow down to 40km/h
when passing stationary emergency
vehicles with flashing blue or red
lights has been completed.
A review of the trial, which included
community feedback, has resulted in
a change to the road rules.
This rule has been changed to
improve the safety of emergency
services personnel, tow truck
operators and breakdown assistance
providers working on the road, as
well as the people they are helping.
The changes also make it safer on
higher speed roads where the time
and distance required to reduce
speed to 40km/h is the greatest. The
changes to the rule commenced on
26 September 2019.
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ISSUE 19 2019 / WWW.AFMA.ORG.AU
QLD
Two exciting renewable hydrogen
projects have been announced to
kickstart Queensland’s major coal and
gas regions. The Australian Renewable
Energy Agency has agreed to provide
financial support into feasibility
studies relating to the use large-scale
renewables for the production of
ammonia.
One proposal is to build a solar farm
of up to 210MW along with a 160MW
hydrogen electrolyser to produce
renewable hydrogen and “green
ammonia” at Dyno Nobel’s existing
facilities at Moranbah.
The second proposal is to tap into wind
and solar and storage facilities to be built
by Neoen to use renewable hydrogen to
supply one fifth of the ammonia needs
from Queensland Nitrates ammonia plant
near Moura, which also currently relies
only on gas.
“This is the first step in the country
tapping into the huge potential of a
renewable hydrogen export industry,”
ARENA CEO Daren Miller said.
“ARENA is helping to create a market for
hydrogen and to ensure that Australia
remains at the front of this shift to
renewable energy. ARENA is helping
industry produce hydrogen at a price,
quality and reliability point where it can
be competitive with natural gas.”
VIC
The Andrews Labor Government is
making Victorian roads safer with a trial
of Australia-first technology at one of
Melbourne’s high-crash intersections.
Minister for Roads, Roads Safety and
the TAC Jaala Pulford announced
new connected and automated
vehicle technology will be fitted at the
intersection of Williamstown Road and
Somerville Road in Yarraville.
One third of deaths and 44 per cent of
serious injuries on Victoria’s roads occur
at intersections. This trial will provide
insights that can help boost safety at
busy, complex intersections.
Specialist light detection and ranging
(LIDAR) sensors will monitor the
intersection and analyse all crashes
and near misses. The cutting-edge
technology will also provide real-
time warnings of potential hazards
to vehicles fitted with connected
technology.
“Victoria has always led the way in
connected and automated vehicle
technology, this is another way we’re
making our infrastructure and policies
support the uptake of this life-saving
technology,” Ms Pulford said.
The project is funded through the Labor
Government’s $9 million Connected
and Automated Vehicle Trial Grants
Program.