NEWS: Radar detector, police speeding fine and laser jammer news 2001.

Speed cameras clock up $52m

From Sydney Morning Herald
By Robert Wainwright, State Political Correspondent
December 28, 2003

The State Government raked in more than $52 million last financial year from its fixed speed cameras on the city's roads, new figures have revealed.

A report by the NSW Auditor-General showed 460,067 drivers were caught during the year by cameras, at a rate of 1,260 each day - double the number of a year ago and seven times the number in 1995 when the Carr Government was first elected.

The State Government has installed an extra 32 cameras over the past 12 months.

The most lucrative are on Spit Road, at Mosman, and in the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, which are each earning around $20,000 a day and catching a speeding driver every eight minutes.

Other high-earning camera locations include Concord Road, at Concord; Elizabeth Drive, at Bonnyrigg; Bell's Line of Road, at Kurrajong Heights; Pacific Highway, at Gateshead; Delhi Road, at Macquarie Park; New England Highway, at Lochinvar; Gibson Avenue, at Padstow; and the Princes Highway at North Wollongong.

The Leader of the Opposition, Kerry Chikarovski, pounced on the figure, accusing the Government of using speed cameras for revenue raising at the expense of road safety.

"These figures shatter the Government's credibility on road safety. They show the Government's primary interest is revenue raising rather than addressing the real problem of road safety in our community," she said.

"Fixed cameras by the side of the road are no substitute for visible pro-active police patrols which reinforce to motorists the need for care and safety on our roads.

"Receiving a fine in the mail weeks after the offence has absolutely no deterrent value on the road on the day a motorist is breaking the speed limit."

The Minister for Police, Michael Costa, interpreted Mrs Chikarovski's comments as an attack on the police service, denying the use of cameras was a revenue-raising exercise.

"The Opposition is being entirely irresponsible, and they risk undermining the crucial holiday road safety campaign," Mr Costa said.

"This is about saving lives, not raising revenue.

"The annual road toll is currently 528, 65 less than the same time last year, and I am advised by police that NSW is days away from achieving the lowest ever annual road toll since records began 50 years ago. The previous record low was 556 in 1998.

"The Opposition should be applauding police for this reduction, and not attacking them for trying to save lives."

Extract from www.transport.wa.gov.au

Where does the money go from speed camera fines?

As you may have discovered, speeding is one of the fastest ways to lose money. But when you consider our state's road toll, you'll find that many Western Australians have paid a much higher price for their speeding.

Why do we need speed cameras?

Speed cameras are on our roads for one very simple reason; to save lives. Since their introduction in 1990, research has shown that speed cameras are highly effective in slowing motorists down and reducing vehicle crash rates.

Speed cameras are typically placed in, or around high-risk areas or crash "black spots." The continued presence of cameras in these locations serves as an ongoing reminder for motorists to slow down on our roads.

Where does my money go?

One third of the money collected from speed camera infringements are put into the Road Trauma Trust Fund which supports various road safety programs.

Improving road safety co-ordination and supporting community education, are some of the worthwhile initiatives which are supplemented by speed camera fines.