Brisbane Magistrate Christine Roney voices concern about Clem7 Tunnel

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Brisbane Magistrate Christine Roney voices concern about Clem7 Tunnel after 'so many' people contest their fines in court

by: Robyn Ironside From: The Courier-Mail February 02, 2012 12:00AM

A kindly Magistrate reduces fines for Clem 7 speedsters. Robyn Ironside & Amanda Lucas report.

A BRISBANE magistrate has voiced her concern about using the Clem7 Tunnel after adjudicating a series of contested speeding fines issued in the tollway.

Magistrate Christine Roney asked police prosecutors why there were "so many of them" (people contesting their fines) after hearing several cases of motorists snapped speeding in the tunnel last May.

"It doesn't give me any confidence in using the tunnel," Ms Roney said.

More than 70 of the 3000 people issued with fines in May after police began enforcing variable speed limit signs in the 80km/h tunnel are believed to be contesting the fines.

Ms Roney made her comments after she slashed to $150 the $333 fine issued to William Robert Burnett, who pleaded guilty to driving at 70km/h in a 40km/h zone imposed due to a car breakdown.

[Ibo]

I was stung with this in may.

Took me until last week to get to court.

Naturally, I conteseted the fine after I was snapped going 81kmph in an (at the time) 40 zone.

No roadworks, and if there was signage it wasn't good enough because I didn't see it.

This was in may, Took me until November to get into court. pleaded not guilty, and got a case last week in january.

for my case, I walked up to the podium with my evidence in hand ready to present my argument. Before I could do anything but greet the judge she let me know that my case was being dropped due to 'lack of evidence'.

Thank god for me, I was facing a years loss of licence and a $933 fine. I feel for anyone who unjustly got done and did not get let off. as someone who delt this this issue it was a nightmare.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Ibo

I was stung with this in may.

Took me until last week to get to court.

Naturally, I conteseted the fine after I was snapped going 81kmph in an (at the time) 40 zone.

No roadworks, and if there was signage it wasn't good enough because I didn't see it.

This was in may, Took me until November to get into court. pleaded not guilty, and got a case last week in january.

for my case, I walked up to the podium with my evidence in hand ready to present my argument. Before I could do anything but greet the judge she let me know that my case was being dropped due to 'lack of evidence'.

Thank god for me, I was facing a years loss of licence and a $933 fine. I feel for anyone who unjustly got done and did not get let off. as someone who delt this this issue it was a nightmare.

good job.

thrown out due to 'lack of evidence'?!! where's all the pro camera/anti speeding guys??

i guess if they're not making money from the tolls, they have to tax those that do use it. i wonder how many people just payed up without contesting? i know i probably would as it always seems like too much trouble. luckily i haven't been snapped for well over 10 years.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Gotta be so careful in that tunnel...

I travel in it all the time, if the lights are flashing you know its 40...

People never obey road works signs, spend a few days on QLD country roads and you'll end up dead trying to do 40 through roadworks because no one seems to obey. Its like if the sign is not cemented in the ground its meaningless.

[2011G6E]

I've often wondered what happens if the sign suddenly changes as you are going past it...you're technically speeding until you see the next sign, and if there happens to be a camera just after the sign (call me cynical, but I assume there would be), then you could get pinged.

It's the same as my job driving trains...you watch the signal as you approach it, and as it goes out of sight beside the cab windows, you look ahead again down the track. Now, the trick is that the track circuit doesn't trigger until the first set of wheels pass over it, and by then the signal is out of sight behind you. If it "drops out"...goes red suddenly because of a fault...control will urgently call you and say you've gone past a red signal and to pull the train up. Of course, they know it was a fault and you aren't in trouble, but with those changeable speed signs in the tunnel, you could easily pass by and have it change just as you are passing it, and then get a nice fine in the mail.

[prydey]

apparently there is a delay. asking a lot to trust them though

[rancidpunx]

I suspect many people just paid up. Its probably only because the fines were so massive and nearly all included a suspension that people were prepared to fight it.
As soon as the airport link is use-able there will be more of this.

[irish2]

I have been in the tunnel at 40km/h all the way through, only to exit without seeing anything at all.