Nearly 400 drivers were stopped by ACT police for carrying out non-essential travel during the Easter long weekend police.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While no fines were issued for breaching social distancing guidelines, officers were called to break up large gatherings of people in houses and parks across Canberra, along with businesses that were thought to still be operating, despite government restrictions.
An ACT police spokesman said warnings were issued to three men who were working on a car together outside a home in Forde.
Almost 50 drivers were told to turn around on highways leading out of Canberra after their travel was deemed non-essential, among them a driver towing a caravan into NSW.
While most Canberrans heeded messages to stay at home and keep their social distance, ACT chief police officer Ray Johnson said some large gatherings still took place during the long weekend.
"We still saw many drivers on the roads unnecessarily, people attending large gatherings and people not practicing social distancing in places like the area around Lake Burley Griffin," Chief Police Officer Johnson said.
"I thank the Canberrans who did the right thing this weekend but we have to come together as a community. We don't want the actions of a few to affect future measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19."
Almost 50 speeding fines were handed out during the four-day Easter period, when double demerits were in place.
Easter Monday saw a number of high-range speeding offences, including a 19-year-old P-plater clocked at driving 167km/h in a 100km/h zone on the Majura Parkway, along with a 23-year-old caught driving 130km/h in an 80km/h zone on Parkes Way.
More than 100 traffic infringements were handed out over Easter.
READ MORE:
Officer in charge of traffic operations, detective station sergeant Marcus Boorman, said many drivers did not get the message about essential travel.
"While most drivers understood the importance of only traveling where necessary, we saw far too many people on the road over the long weekend who probably didn't need to be out and about," he said.
"Police will remain mobile and active on our roads because this weekend has shown some people are still may not understand the health directions."
- For information on COVID-19, please go to the ACT Health website or the federal Health Department's website.
- You can also call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
- If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call Triple Zero (000)
Our COVID-19 news articles relating to public health and safety are free for anyone to access. However, we depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support. If you're looking to stay up to date on COVID-19, you can also sign up for our twice-daily digest here.
Andrew Brown
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
