Plan to ease border chaos
Extra crossing coming but health workers still wait
A FOURTH border checkpoint is expected to open in Coolangatta in an effort to try to help healthcare workers get to work on time.
The border was left in chaos as returning Queenslanders and holiday-makers tried to make their way into the Sunshine State in the post-Christmas rush at the weekend.
The fourth checkpoint on Miles St, Coolangatta, was called for by furious healthcare staff who complained last week about huge delays making them late for work at Tweed Hospital.
About 40 per cent of healthcare staff at the hospital live in Queensland and have to cross the border.
A Queensland police spokesman said some infrastructure had been placed around opening the additional checkpoint but it was expected to take a few days for it to open. Healthcare staff will still have to complete border passes.
The Health Services Union had called for specialised healthcare-worker throughways to ensure people were not running late for shifts but at the time of writing none had been established.
For holidaygoers and returning Queenslanders, the sunny weather also meant lengthy delays at the border.
The early bird travellers who made their way across on Sunday morning only experienced about half-hour delays on the M1 and at Gold Coast Hwy border checkpoints.
IT IS A BUSY TIME OF THE YEAR FOR PEOPLE TRAVELLING ON THE ROADS, BUT KNOW POLICE ARE TRYING TO GET YOU THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN
The congestion built up considerably on the M1, with motorist wait times extending well past an hour by midday.
The traffic could be seen bumper to bumper past the border sign, kilometres away from the Pacific Motorway checkpoint.
The Gold Coast Hwy on Florence St and Wharf St had better flow with motorists experiencing about half-an-hour waits most of the day with the line of vehicles backing onto the M1 from midday.
Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler urged motorists to remain patient, saying delays were expected at border crossings over the entire holiday period.
“It is a busy time of the year for people travelling on the roads, but know police are trying to get you through as quickly as they can,” he said.
“Delays are expected to continue in the coming days, with people on Sunday waiting up to 40 minutes.
“While this may cause frustration, we urge people to plan ahead and understand these measures are in place to keep COVID out of Queensland.”
From 6am last Tuesday hard border closure regulations came into place and border blocks between NSW and Queensland were reinstalled – 21 days after being removed.
Since the hard border closures, Queensland residents returning from a coronavirus hotspot have been turned around at the border and told to head to the airport or hotel quarantine at their own expense for 14 days. By Sunday, 245 vehicles containing 561 people had been refused entry at all road borders.
State Emergency Service and Fire Service teams continued to provide support for police at checkpoints on Sunday and Superintendent Wheeler said they would continue to assist at the border into the near future.
“We are very grateful for their continued assistance,” he said.
There were no new cases of coronavirus in Queensland on Sunday.
There are at present 11 active cases in the state.
CHIEF SUPT MARK WHEELER