Speed Fines Begin on Bridgewater Bridge After Rampant Violations

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Tasmania’s Department of State Growth (DSG) will enforce speeding fines on the new Bridgewater Bridge starting August 1, 2025, after detecting 800 speeding violations weekly during a seven-week grace period.

The Department of State Growth (DSG) in Tasmania has announced that speeding fines will be issued on the new Bridgewater Bridge starting August 1, 2025, following an alarming average of 800 speeding violations detected weekly during a seven-week testing period for new speed cameras. The $786 million bridge, a critical link in the National Land Transport Network, opened to traffic on June 2, 2025, and carries 22,000 vehicles daily, according to the DSG’s statement to New Norfolk News. The department labeled the violation rate “completely unacceptable,” emphasizing the economic and safety costs of speeding, which contributes to one in five fatal or serious injuries in Tasmania, per DSG data.

Speeding fines, ranging up to $1,178.75 with six demerit points per offense, aim to deter reckless driving and protect the bridge’s users, including drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians on its 3-meter-wide shared path, as outlined in the DSG’s Bridgewater Bridge Project update. A DSG spokesperson told New Norfolk News that even small speed increases significantly raise road trauma risks, with international research showing a 25% reduction in serious casualties from 10 km/h speed reductions. The bridge’s 80 km/h speed limit, set to ensure safety and efficiency, is now strictly enforced with calibrated cameras, following a trial that began in June 2025.

The economic implications are substantial. Speeding-related crashes on Tasmania’s roads, including the nearby Tasman Bridge, which saw $434,000 in fines from March to June 2025, cost the state millions annually in emergency services, healthcare, and lost productivity, per Pulse Tasmania. The DSG’s investment in the Bridgewater Bridge, funded 80% by the federal government, aims to reduce congestion and enhance freight efficiency, but persistent speeding threatens these benefits.

Assistant Commissioner Adrian Bodnar of Tasmania Police told ABC News that enforcement is not about revenue but about saving lives, noting a 1.2 km/h drop in average speeds since mobile cameras were introduced in 2022. With fines now active, drivers face steep penalties and potential license loss, underscoring the need for compliance to safeguard Tasmania’s transport infrastructure and economy.