Revenue Raising !

Speed camera traps in the form of cars with heavily tinted windows parked at the kerb in city streets collected more than five million dollars in the entire `2020 year. During that time, motorists were warned by roadside signs that their speed had been checked, but in its wisdom the government voted to remove these signs in the interest of road safety.

What an amazing difference.   In just the month of February this year, those same speed cameras have collected more than six million in fines, more in one month that the entire result for the full year and this revenue is likely to go even higher because curbs will be removed on the hours the cameras will be permitted to operate.

The government proudly boasts that this has been vindicated by a road safety dividend.  So far this year there have been six road deaths fewer than in the quarter to March last year.   If that trend continues twenty-four lives will be saved in 2021 - at a cost to the motoring public of  forty-five million dollars in speeding fines.

Keeping to the precise speed limit is an almost impossible task in the city of Sydney.  The limit changes from area to area with bewildering frequency and more and more pedestrian areas are becoming forty kph zones.  These speed cameras are unmerciful.  Being just a fraction over the posted speed limit will bring a draconian fine - and a loss of demerit points.

It should also be remembered that February was a month of slower traffic density because of the lockdowns to combat the coronavirus.  Now that the vaccination programme is underway there is the expectation that traffic will attain normal volumes in the months ahead and there will be an unforeseen outcome from what is clearly a revenue raising operation.

It is inevitable that the loss of demerit points will result in driving license cancellation for some drivers and when that happens, by necessity some continue to drive without a license, creating an insurance hazard.

That would be acceptable if these speed traps caught  only people driving at dangerous speeds, but the usual victims are innocent people just a fraction over the posted limit and moving at consistent speed with the traffic flow.  Getting that fine in the post is usually a shock because they are unaware that they have committed a crime.

There is certainly doubt that these speed traps contribute much to road safety.   The sight of a marked police car has a tangible effect on road manners and vehicle speeds but their presence on the roads only seems to increase on long weekends and other holiday periods.  Putting them where they would do the most good would impact on the police budget.

Instead the government in relaying on these static revenue raising money traps to restore the damage done to the economy by this pandemic.  The claim that it is saving lives fools no one  !