The real purpose of the black cables you see running across many Aussie roads

By PADRAIG COLLINS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA 22:38 10 Nov 2024, updated 22:38 10 Nov 2024

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Black tubes running across Australian roads have been a regular sight for decades, but many people don't know what they're for.

The 'traffic tubes', as they are called, are collecting information on traffic patterns and the speed cars are travelling, but that data is not used against individual drivers.

They are used by councils, state governments and even some private organisations to analyse conditions on a stretch of road.

'They count cars, but they are also able to classify the type of vehicle running over them as they can count the axles, so they will know if it's a car, a B-double or a car with a trailer,' Chris Miller, a Transport Victoria spokesperson, told Drive.

The traffic tubes also capture vehicle speed to understand road user behaviour on a particular stretch of road.

It's not designed to catch any individual out, though. If there is excessive speeding or if people are going far below the legal limit, the people who put the traffic tubes there want to know why.

'What they may want to do is restrict the amount of traffic going up a street, particularly in a residential area they might deem that it's too much for air pollution or kids in the area,' Mr Miller said.

'It also aids in determining congestion (in the area). So if it's a 50km/h zone and everyone is driving 12km/h (outside of peak hour), it might suggest an issue.'

So while the data gathered is not designed to target a particular driver, the overall information can be used to justify road upgrades or new traffic calming measures such as zebra crossings.

Corporations using the tubes - with the permission of the relevant local council - might typically be seeking to identify the best location for a new building or a business such as a service station.

A lot of thought and planning, for instance, goes into where to put the entrance and exit for a new servo.

If you see these tubes, which are also known as 'pneumatic road tubes', on a road, the council or state government could be getting information for some new or upgraded infrastructure.

They could also be responding to complaints about road user safety or traffic congestion in the area, especially if the road is used as a 'rat run' to, for example, avoid a busier street or a toll.

The basic message is the tubes are not there to spy on you, they're there to gather the date to make life better.

'There's no way on earth they're used for speeding enforcement,' Mr Miller said.

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