Authorities insist system is reliable and reduces speeding
Victoria’s speed camera network has been deemed “first class” by its independent commissioner.
In his third annual report, Road Safety Commissioner Gordon Lewis says the link between excessive speed and the road toll in “inarguable”, with the road camera system representing just one means to deter motorists from driving at excessive speeds.
“This in turn involves the imposition of speed restrictions, their enforcement, a fair, accurate and reliable method of measuring the speed of vehicles and an appropriate system of sanctions,” Lewis says.
Having investigated all 991 infringements that were detected on June 30 last year on the Western Ring Road, he says notices were issued correctly.
An electrical and IT systems engineer was put to task to monitor all fixed digital road safety camera systems in the state. A report into the cameras will be made available later this year.
The commissioner’s office has received 480 phone calls from the public in the last year with queries about the operation of the road safety camera system.
Victorian police and emergency services minister Kim Wells says the 157 fixed digital road safety camera sites throughout the state were monitored throughout the year by the commissioner, which showed no evidence of malfunctioning or inaccurate road safety camera.
“The commissioner also found that the majority of motorists understand why road safety cameras are vital,” Wells says.
“People understand that road safety is paramount, speed limits are there to keep people alive and we need sanctions to enforce those speed limits.”
The ability of cameras to catch all speeding road users is paramount and will be addressed by the latest road safety technology which will replace Victoria Police’s mobile camera program, he adds.
“A new tender was released at the end of July that flowed from the Napthine Government’s funding of $17.1 million to upgrade road safety technology. We have now gone to market to source advances in road safety equipment.
“Technology in this area is advancing rapidly and we will explore all options to make Victoria’s road safety camera network as strong as it can be.
“We are looking at everything the market has to offer, including the potential to capture front and rear licence plates and speeding vehicles across multiple lanes.”