Al-anwar Newspaper English news in Australia
NSW drivers will see a big change in the use of mobile speed cameras, but the slow rollout is no defence for motorists caught in the hidden speed traps in the meantime, lawyers warn.
Warning signs will be reinstated before and after mobile speed cameras from January next year after the government caved to public outrage at hidden speed traps- but the move to wait until after the holiday season to make the change has been criticised.
Drivers will once again be warned as they are approaching a mobile speed camera, after cabinet ministers unanimously backing a policy U-turn in a bid to nullify a major source of voter anger six months before the election.
Roads Minister Natalie Ward insisted the announcement showed the government was “listening to the community”.
“We want the opportunity to provide drivers with the chance to adjust their behaviour,” Ms Ward said.
It comes after Premier Dominic Perrottet told The Daily Telegraph in December that he did not want speed cameras to be “revenue-raisers”.
So far this year, 199,000 fines have been issued by mobile speed cameras, earning the government almost $27 million for road safety initiatives.
That’s despite the government progressively adding extra warning signs to mobile speed cameras, including on the top of the vehicles.
Ministers had until now resisted a complete backflip by reintroducing warning signs that were in place until the end of 2019.
Mobile speed cameras will have more warning signs than ever from January 1, with roof-mounted warning signs to remain.
But lawyer Sam Macedone said the delay in rolling out the warning sign will not be a free pass for speeding motorists looking to escape a fine.
“The law is the law and if you breach it while it’s in place that’s what it is,” he said.
“The offence isn’t complying with the speed sign, its speeding. If you’re speeding now, whether you’re warned or not, they can book you.”
The number of mobile speed cameras fines issued to drivers skyrocketed by 834 per cent in 2021, with almost 362,000 fines issued the year after warning signs began to be phased out.
Ms Ward would not say whether cabinet ministers had considered any modelling on whether the policy reversal would cost lives.
“I’m obviously bound by cabinet confidence,” she said.
“Cabinet has made a decision to balance the community’s feedback together with the parliamentary inquiry recommendations.”
The NRMA is calling on the government to put out speed camera warning signs “as quickly as possible” but acknowledged that logistic issues may prevent a fast rollout.
NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said there were more mobile speed cameras in NSW than before which may explain why the government needs until January to put the warning signs up.
“We’re not aware of the logistics that are required to bring the signs back. We know that since the number of signs have increased,” he said.
