A MISCOMMUNICATION has been preventing border residents from conducting routine travel.

ACT police have since rectified the road closure on Tuesday (January 5) after unnecessary inconvenience to local traffic heading north.

Police blocked off Pialligo Avenue, a major arterial road in Canberra, to minimise the volume of traffic on Sutton Road amid border compliance activities.

ACT police COVID-19 taskforce detective superintendent Rohan Smith said all checkpoints established to support the public health directions remain temporary.

“Earlier today (Tuesday) we quickly rectified a miscommunication that prevented some people from passing through the road closure,” Det Supt Smith said.

“Local traffic is allowed through, and that is defined as residents along Sutton Road and in Wamboin, or people who have business in that area.

“We acknowledge the messaging this morning may have been confusing, however, we have taken steps to ensure all staff are aware of the local area.”

Motorists driving on Sutton Road to travel to the Federal Highway and onto other New South Wales towns have access to alternative routes.

But as part of police’s mitigation strategy to reduce traffic volumes, they are not allowed to pass through the border road closure.

“We thank everyone for their patience as we do all that we can to keep our community safe,” Det Supt Smith said.

Police will also conduct compliance activities within the ACT in the coming days that includes random breath test-style stations to ensure travellers with interstate registered vehicles are adhering to the public health directions.