MOBILE speed cameras have earned the ire, and inevitably a few curse words, from drivers on Great Lakes roads with more than $65, 000 in fines detected by the devices in the last two years.
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Greg Heat of Failford has labelled the use of mobile speed camera devices as “revenue raising” after noticing a camera set up in Macintosh Street in the last month.
“The recent use of speed cameras, operated by the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) in Macintosh Street Forster is, in my opinion, a farce,” Mr Heat said.
“The area is not a black spot nor the site of many accidents. The introduction and placement of mobile speed cameras, at the discretion of the RMS, is being abused and appears to be aimed at revenue raising only. The placement of these devices, if they are to be used at all, should be left to local law enforcement officers who have the appropriate knowledge.”
Though administered by the RMS the cameras are set up at the discretion of the NSW Centre for Road Safety according to a Transport for NSW spokesman.
“The purpose of mobile speed cameras is to reduce speeding not only at identified enforcement locations but also across the entire road network through the use of anywhere, anytime enforcement,” the spokesman said.
“Mobile speed camera locations are guided by the Speed Camera Strategy, which sets out a criteria based on the frequency and severity of crashes over a length of road, a high risk of road trauma or previous fatal crashes. Locations can also be nominated by the NSW Police Force or the community through the safer roads website.”
Several mobile speed camera enforcement locations have been identified in the Great Lakes area including five locations on the Pacific Highway (Tea Gardens, Coolongolook, Bulahdelah, Failford, Nabiac) and four locations on the Lakes Way (Darawank, Rainbow Flat, Tuncurry, Forster).
Though they are designed for “anywhere anytime” enforcement the spokesman said drivers are adequately warned when a device has been set up.
“A ‘your speed has been checked’ sign is also placed 50m after the vehicle and the cars are also marked with high visibility, retro-reflective markings.”
The spokesman said that the devices save lives and refuted claims that the devices were aimed at revenue raising.
“An analysis of fatality trends for the first 12 months of the mobile speed camera program found mobile speed cameras contributed to a 19 per cent reduction in fatalities on NSW roads and a six per cent reduction in speeding in most speed zones. All speed camera revenue collected in NSW is used to pay for further road safety initiatives.”
