Super cameras on WA police radar
RONAN O'CONNELL, The West Australian October 9, 2010, 2:25 am
Super cameras that can catch drivers committing up to 10 traffic offences, including tailgating and dangerous driving, could soon be on WA roads.
The Multanovas are in use in Switzerland and it is understood they are being considered by WA Police, which was given $30 million in its last budget to buy new speed enforcement technology.
Swiss manufacturer Multanova says the Trafistar SR590, which uses 3-D tracking technology to map the exact position and movement of each vehicle in its line of sight, can monitor the speed of 22 cars in four lanes.
The $84,000 device can also catch drivers for offences including running red lights, tailgating, driving in a bus or bicycle lane, making an illegal entry, failing to give way to pedestrians or traffic to the right, overtaking in a dangerous manner, failing to halt at a stop sign, making an illegal turn and crossing a dividing line.
Police Union president Russell Armstrong said the cameras were "amazing" and urged WA Police to begin a trial of the technology immediately.
"Being able to catch people for such a range of traffic offences would clearly be good for road safety, so we think this is the kind of technology that we should be looking at," he said.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Michelle Fyfe said police were monitoring the success of the devices in Europe.
Acting Police Minister Christian Porter said the Government would consider the technology once police evaluated it.
RAC spokesman Matt Brown said surveys of members showed offences such as reckless driving and tailgating were common concerns among WA motorists, who felt intimidated by such behaviour.
Curtin-Monash Accident Research Centre director Brett Hughes said while he was not familiar with the new Multanova, offences it detected put the safety of road users at risk.
Shadow police minister Margaret Quirk said the devices had the potential to curb reckless driving but she was concerned police had recently invested in "old technology" by buying other speed cameras instead of the Multanovas.
Police have used part of the $30 million to buy 13 integrated red-light and speed-camera systems for use at intersections and 14 dual-lens speed cameras that photograph front and rear numberplates.
Super cameras that can catch drivers committing up to 10 traffic offences, including tailgating and dangerous driving, could soon be on WA roads.
The Multanovas are in use in Switzerland and it is understood they are being considered by WA Police, which was given $30 million in its last budget to buy new speed enforcement technology.
Swiss manufacturer Multanova says the Trafistar SR590, which uses 3-D tracking technology to map the exact position and movement of each vehicle in its line of sight, can monitor the speed of 22 cars in four lanes.
The $84,000 device can also catch drivers for offences including running red lights, tailgating, driving in a bus or bicycle lane, making an illegal entry, failing to give way to pedestrians or traffic to the right, overtaking in a dangerous manner, failing to halt at a stop sign, making an illegal turn and crossing a dividing line.
Police Union president Russell Armstrong said the cameras were "amazing" and urged WA Police to begin a trial of the technology immediately.
"Being able to catch people for such a range of traffic offences would clearly be good for road safety, so we think this is the kind of technology that we should be looking at," he said.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Michelle Fyfe said police were monitoring the success of the devices in Europe.
Acting Police Minister Christian Porter said the Government would consider the technology once police evaluated it.
RAC spokesman Matt Brown said surveys of members showed offences such as reckless driving and tailgating were common concerns among WA motorists, who felt intimidated by such behaviour.
Curtin-Monash Accident Research Centre director Brett Hughes said while he was not familiar with the new Multanova, offences it detected put the safety of road users at risk.
Shadow police minister Margaret Quirk said the devices had the potential to curb reckless driving but she was concerned police had recently invested in "old technology" by buying other speed cameras instead of the Multanovas.
Police have used part of the $30 million to buy 13 integrated red-light and speed-camera systems for use at intersections and 14 dual-lens speed cameras that photograph front and rear numberplates.
2010-10-09
