19 hours ago
Incredible road trend after Aussie speed cameras switched to enforcement mode
Just a year after a new set of speed cameras were switched on to enforcement mode inside a notorious inner city tunnel, over 20,000 drivers have been caught speeding — generating almost $5 million in fines.
According to Transport for NSW (TfNSW) data, analysed by the state opposition, motorists in Sydney continue to get stung by speed cameras at the Rozelle Interchange, in the city's inner west, more than at any other spot in the state. The cameras only began issuing fines last year, but since then, the westbound cameras have detected more than 21,000 speeding drivers, generating $4.6 million in fines.
It's all part of a wider trend, with the state's total fine revenue hitting $414 million last financial year, marking a 25 per cent rise on the year before. The figures showed that high-earning hotspots include the NorthConnex tunnel at Normanhurst (southbound) — bringing in $4.7 million — and the WestConnex tunnel at Newtown (southbound), with speeding fines totalling $4 million.
While the numbers seem eye-watering, TfNSW said there are signs of improvement. At one point, a quarter of drivers in the Rozelle Interchange were caught speeding, but now it's dropped to one in 40.
The NRMA's Peter Khoury told 9News that with "traffic volumes" inevitably "going to increase" at Rozelle, revenue should be reinvested in road safety initiatives.
Speed camera changes rolled out across NSW
The latest data comes as average speed cameras on two major stretches of highway in the state were switched on to enforcement mode. Previously, they only detected trucks, but now, they're scanning for all vehicles, with fines and penalties in place.
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The trial cameras are located on the Pacific and Hume highways in regional NSW, which disproportionately bear two-thirds of the state road toll despite being home to a third of the population.
Minister for Roads and Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said the severity of the road toll has been — and remains — a major point of focus for the Minns Labor Government. "Speeding contributes to around 42 per cent of road fatalities every year, and so far this year, speeding has contributed to 33 per cent of all road fatalities. That's 59 lives lost due to dangerous driving, just this year," Aitchison earlier said.
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