News Story on new Red light Cameras - Information
New cameras that will allow police to issue fines to motorists for speeding while running a red light will be rolled out across Perth next month.
The first dual speed and red light camera has been operating on a trial basis at the Riverside Drive and Barrack Street intersection since May 7.
It detects motorists speeding at all times but it is also triggered when a vehicle runs a red light.
Since the trial began, 223 people have been fined for travelling at more than 75km through the intersection, which is a 60km zone. Advertisement: Story continues below
RAC's head of member advocacy Matt Brown said the move is long overdue and he expects the community to "overwhelmingly" support the cameras.
"Our surveys of our members consistently show their number one concern is unsafe drivers on the road,'' Mr Brown said.
"They actually support the use of technology to crack down on people who put safer drivers at risk".
But Mr Brown said all of the $56 million in revenue the government estimates it will pick up from traffic infringement cameras in the next financial year should be spent on improving safety.
"If the government wants the public to take this seriously they should commit 100 per cent of the revenue back into road safety," he said.
"It shouldn't be able to be used just as a revenue raiser."
WA Police's traffic operations commander Michelle Fyfe this morning told 6PR a man had his car seized for driving at 130kmh on Barrack Street at 10pm on Friday night.
Ms Fyfe said 12 other cameras should be operating by July 1. Police are considering installing 30 more.
''We currently have some ongoing research being undertaken by the Monash University research centre looking at locations for these speed red light cameras, based upon things like right angle crashes, right turn crashes and available speed data,'' Ms Fyfe said.
Of the 194 fatalities on WA roads last year, 43 people died at intersections.
''So this is about trying to prevent those deaths and prevent families having to go through the trauma of losing a loved one," Ms Fyfe said.
"I'm sure there'll be a lot of debate about it. From our perspective that's what it's about.''
Source: Perth Now .com.au
WA traffic police are doubling their number of speed and red light cameras.
WA Police Minister Rob Johnson announced stage two of the State Government's $30 million speed enforcement program today.
Thirty new speed and red-light cameras are being installed at major intersections, while police have already taken delivery of 14 new digital hand-held cameras that can take video and still-photo evidence.
The rollout of 23 dual-lens cameras that can photograph vehicles from the front and back began two months ago in stage one of the program.
There are already 23 Multanova wet-film speed cameras on WA roads, but these will be phased out to make way for the new digital cameras.
Mr Johnson said the addition of the latest two types of cameras, together with the Vitronic dual-lens digital cameras, would give WA police twice as many cameras in their fleet.
``The new speed and red light cameras have a two-fold purpose - they photograph motorists who contravene red traffic lights and also detect motorists speeding through the intersection at any phase of the lights,'' Mr Johnson said.
``The hand-held cameras will take video and photographic evidence of the speeding vehicle and the images can either be downloaded at a later time to issue infringements or the officer can stop the vehicle and issue an on-the-spot infringement.
``It will allow for a more flexible approach to policing speeding drivers.''
Mr Johnson said 43 people were killed at intersections on WA roads last year, while 435,179 drivers were detected speeding across the state.
2010-09-06
