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More mobile speed cameras on the way in NSW

NSW will drastically increase the use of mobile speed cameras, from 1,000 to 7,000 hours of monitoring per month

July 12, 2013

The use of mobile speed cameras throughout New South Wales will increase dramatically from later this year, with the State Government announcing a new plan to deliver an extra 6,000 hours of monitoring per month.

The Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) has awarded a two-year, $33 million tender to Redflex Traffic Systems and Jenoptik to operate the cameras, which will be gradually phased in during the second half of 2013.

RMS Director of Customer and Compliance Peter Wells says there are currently six mobile speed cameras operating throughout NSW providing around 1,000 hours of enforcement each month.

“Increased enforcement will be progressively rolled out during 2013, with the full program of 7,000 enforcement hours to be delivered by about 45 vehicles by January 2014,” Wells says.

NSW reintroduced the mobile speed camera program in 2010 and announced on June 1 last year it would expand it.

Wells says mobile speed cameras support existing police enforcement and form part of the State’s speed management strategy.

“It is only a minority of drivers who get caught by speed cameras. If they do the right thing they won’t get caught,” he says.

Centre for Road Safety General Manager Marg Prendergast says the Government is looking forward to the cameras improving road safety.

“Last year’s annual review of speed cameras found that in the 12 months after the reintroduction of mobile speed cameras, there was a 19 per cent reduction in fatalities. These positive results continued through 2011 and will be reviewed again as part of this year’s annual speed camera review,” she says.

Prendergast says using the private sector to run mobile speed cameras allows police to concentrate on other enforcement activities such as random breath testing and roadside drug testing.

While Redflex and Jenoptik will operate the cameras, the Centre for Road Safety, the RMS and NSW Police will determine when and where they are used.

The companies will not be paid per infringement and will not receive incentives. The RMS says the operators will receive payment based on the number of hours of enforcement they carry out.

“Unlike other major Australian jurisdictions, NSW does not have unmarked or covert speed cameras. All speed cameras in NSW are clearly marked with the introduction of extra signs and new reflective vehicle markings,” Prendergast says.

“There are now two warning signs 250m and 50m before the camera vehicle and another 50m after the vehicle.”

Prendergast says revenue from all speed and red-light camera infringements will go into the Community Road Safety Fund to bankroll road safety programs and school zone flashing lights.

The locations of all fixed, mobile and red light speed cameras in NSW are available here. Members of the community can also nominate sites for future speed enforcement.

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