NSW to scrap speed cameras?
The NSW Premier will investigate all fixed speed cameras in the state, and vowing to scrap cameras that do not contribute to road safety
Motorists in New South Wales could be facing a speed-camera free future, with the new Liberal government to investigate the devices' impact on road safety.
NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell addressed the media at the RTA's traffic management centre in Sydney today, outlining a fixed speed camera audit. He has tasked the auditor-general to perform an audit on almost 250 speed cameras in the state to ascertain their effectiveness to improve road safety.
The tally consists of 172 fixed cameras, 60 safety cameras and six mobile units.
Keeping one of his election promises, the NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell stated that motorists deserved to know whether the cameras were simply revenue raising or improving road safety.
"Fixed cameras can be useful, there is no doubt about that; red-light cameras can be useful. What we want to make sure is that transparently, openly, there is an audit to ensure motorists know whether or not cameras at certain locations are delivering that better road safety outcome, or whether it is just in fact about revenue raising," O'Farrell told the gathered media.
The audit is likely to take around three months and would once and for all remove any cynicism or scepticism surrounding speed and safety camera, said O'Farrell. "At best it will demonstrate case by case whether these cameras are achieving their outcome," said the Premier.
Motoring organisations, the public and even business representatives have been critical of speed cameras for more than a decade, arguing that they raise revenue but have limited impact on driver behaviour. The NSW government's audit could be a catalyst for wide spread scrutiny, and the Liberal Victorian government may be forced to implement a similar audit, particularly as it is has the most speed cameras of any state or territory in the country.
The issue of revenue raising has also been a topic of hot conversation across Europe where speed cameras are in use, and topic will no doubt continue to polarise motorists and governments for years to come.
One argument that has been raised on numerous occasions is that revenue raised from speed and safety cameras should be pumped back into road safety and driver education schemes, rather than straight into government coffers, as is currently the case.
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