All NSW mobile speed cameras are offline & decommissioned

[Dave_au]

Allegedly all NSW MOBILE speed cameras are offline, as reported in the SMH today:

Pupils left exposed as speed cams go

THEY were meant to be a critical plank in the state's strategy to reduce speeding in school zones, but not one mobile speed camera remains on the road because the technology is worn out and the Government has failed to upgrade it.

In 2006 the then NSW minister for roads, Eric Roozendaal, promised that a combination of 50 fixed and mobile speed cameras would be installed and rotated through NSW schools, and he warned that "any school could have a camera in it".

He later backed away from the pledge, and about 25 vehicle-mounted cameras were gradually decommissioned by police as they broke down. The last cameras were shelved last November.

The Government refused to replace the 13-year-old wet film cameras despite their proven record as a deterrent, and even though a report by the Roads and Traffic Authority recommended it introduce a fleet of new digital cameras in unmarked vans.

The commander of the police traffic services branch, Acting Superintendent David Evans, said the cameras were "past their use-by date" and no longer a good use of his officers' time.

"We'd got to the point that if we were going to continue mobile speed operations we were going to need more modern equipment … capable of providing evidence that we could use in court," Acting Superintendent Evans said.

"The parts and film were getting hard to find and the cameras were phased out over a period of time. All of the cameras we have are now deregistered and past their certification date."

Acting Superintendent Evans said police had increased their use of other enforcement methods to compensate for the loss of the mobile cameras, and that the state's low road toll last year proved this was working.

However, the mobile cameras have proven to be an effective deterrent in Victoria and Queensland, and the State Government never told the public that they would be phased out.

The truth was discovered by a request for information about speeding fines in school zones by the Pedestrian Council of Australia using freedom-of-information laws.

It revealed that the number of people caught speeding in the state's 10,000 school zones by mobile speed cameras dwindled throughout last year, and that not one detection was recorded in term four.

The removal of the mobile cameras has left schools policed by the 70 fixed speed cameras that cover less than 2 per cent of school zones, and other policing methods such as radar and speed guns, which road safety experts say are less effective because they do not take pictures.

The president of the council, Harold Scruby, said: "The FOI is a damning indictment of the Government's contempt for the safety of our children.

"The schools that don't have fixed cameras must rely on occasional one-off bookings using antiquated radar technology. That means children in 95 per cent of school zones are not safe. There is absolutely no excuse for the Government not to immediately replace the mobile cameras."

But the Minister for Police, Tony Kelly, and the Minister for Roads, Michael Daley, said they had no plans to buy new speed cameras.

"This has not impacted on our capacity to enforce speed restrictions because we have ample radars and lidars [vehicle mounted radars] to do the job," a spokesman for Mr Kelly said.

Professor Max Cameron of Monash University's accident research centre said the Government lacked the political will to police speeding effectively.

"The evidence from Victoria and Queensland is that mobile speed cameras reduce fatal crashes, but the NSW Government has ignored it."

As usual our favorate bleeding hearts make an appearence, but what really has got me going is the fact that despite the lack of cameras, our road toll has been the lowest it's been in years, and now they're complaining about the lack of mobile camera cars!

[Bill M]

If times are as tough as we're told then the NSW govt can drop it's grants to harold's hobby horse. His little club still receives grants don't they?

[rodderz]

What about fixed? I have more trouble trusting them than I do mobile for accuracy.

I reckon more coppers on the road adding a human element to it would be better than machines doing for them. At least they can add why they were caught, what they did wrong- a speeding fine in the mail only peeves motorists off because of the $$ loss, not necessarily serves to deter them from speeding again from the danger

[colossus]

So hang on a sec your saying the only speed cameras currently in operation in NSW are fixed?

[Lynch'd]

Originally Posted by colossus

So hang on a sec your saying the only speed cameras currently in operation in NSW are fixed?

No, there's plenty of guys still around hiding in the bushes with the old hairdryers. I've noticed a huge increase in the number of them hiding in sneaky spots in the inner west and along the M4 over the last few weeks.

[Dave_au]

Correct, the only speed cameras currently in operation are fixed cameras. That being said, there are still plenty of marked, unmarked, Lidar and Radar units around.

[Fairlane]

Harold Scuby strikes again. How does this guy keep getting airspace and how does the FPDC or whatever it is get money to advertise.

It is brilliant they have gotten rid of those bloody revenue raising mobile vans, mobile police with radar are a much more effective and fair way of maintaining safety.

[500SEC]

Australia has a 'Pedestrian council' ??? What exactly is there reason for existence? As a taxpayer, am I funding this mob?

[Falcon Coupe]

Originally Posted by 500SEC

Australia has a 'Pedestrian council' ??? What exactly is there reason for existence? As a taxpayer, am I funding this mob?

http://www.walk.com.au/pedestriancouncil/page.asp

They would have cars banned given half a chance.

[BlackLS]

Originally Posted by 500SEC

Australia has a 'Pedestrian council' ??? What exactly is there reason for existence? As a taxpayer, am I funding this mob?

Funding

The Keys Young report stated: "The lobby or advocacy roles must be separate from government." Nevertheless, the Council's objectives are generally consistent with contemporary government agendas for micro-economic reform and social justice. There is scope therefore for the development of partnerships between the PCA and the private and public sectors in financing the operations of the PCA. It is the ultimate aim of the PCA to establish itself as a "Centre of Excellence" for pedestrian research, education, advice, information and advocacy. The Pedestrian Council estimates the costs of establishing and running such an organisation of this kind to be $1 million per annum and will seek funding principally from:
Government
Federal, State and Local
Insurance Sectors
Particularly insures for sponsorship of specific projects and Green-Slip insurers
Corporate Sector
Corporate sponsorship
Membership
But without imposing prohibitive costs for individuals and as this is unlikely to be substantial it is expected that membership will be revenue/cost neutral.
Donations
Including bequeaths
Fund Raising Events
"Walk to Work Days", walkathons etc

The head bloke, Harold Scruby always happens to linger around the media waiting for a chance to put his anti-car comments in. He responds to articulate arguments from car-enthusiasts with quotes like "now go back to playing with your grease nipples"

[Bushbasher]

Hang on, if the only cameras operating are now fixed cameras and if the report by ACA on TV towards the end of last year is correct in saying only 2 fixed cameras in the state were actually working, does that mean that effectively NONE of the school crossings are covered AT ALL!! This would seem to be the case if no fines were issued at all in term 4.

This state govt. is a disgrace :. Every day and in every way this state slaps me in the face while putting it's hand in my pocket while laughing at me all the while...... I really wish I could just pack up and go home :



Bushbasher

[data_mine]

If anything this is good proof that speed cameras do nothing for road safety. Only line the states' coffers.

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

Hang on, if the only cameras operating are now fixed cameras and if the report by ACA on TV towards the end of last year is correct in saying only 2 fixed cameras in the state were actually working, does that mean that effectively NONE of the school crossings are covered AT ALL!! This would seem to be the case if no fines were issued at all in term 4.

This state govt. is a disgrace :. Every day and in every way this state slaps me in the face while putting it's hand in my pocket while laughing at me all the while...... I really wish I could just pack up and go home :



Bushbasher

We still have Radars, just no Falcon Wagons with Cameras pointed out of the windscreen. You forget that our Red Light Cameras still take film, and only 1/3rd of them have film in them at any one time.

I think it is only a matter of time until we get the Victorian system of subcontracted speed Camera operators.

[devilcv8]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

This would seem to be the case if no fines were issued at all in term 4.

there were no MOBILE camera fines in term 4. Don't go jumping to conclusions without having the ability to read and understand the written word.



As for Scruby, hands up everyone who has run over a pedestrian.


Scruby for one.

[phillyc]

There are no MOBILE CAMERAS working.

There are plenty of MOBILE RADARS etc working.

As for Scruby, he came up with that name himself to make it sound official. It is not an official body.

Just like if i came up with the name of "Transportation Council of Australia"

[GT-E]

I do not know how Scruby can call his Pty Ltd Company a council, as it is a business.
He is always good for a sound grap, his outspoken nutcase point of views are always available for comment.
Next time you are driving down Bickell road in Mosman, feel free to lay a stripe outside his house.
The guy is a self serving fraud who should not be given any airtime.

[Bushbasher]

Originally Posted by devilcv8

there were no MOBILE camera fines in term 4. Don't go jumping to conclusions without having the ability to read and understand the written word.

I wasn't talking about radars or ladars or anything else, I was only talking about CAMERAS, mobile and fixed, sorry if you misunderstood my point. Maybe next time I'll have to s-p-e-l-l out every nuance and inference of any statement I make just so you don't get confused and start shooting from the hip again.......pedant :yeees:



Bushbasher

[mrbaxr6t]

ok if cars are such a bad thing mr. Scruby heres my argument :

I work nights and the majority of the time it takes me 60 minutes or more to drive home? are you suggesting I walk?

Sorry for this but I have been waiting for him to get a mention on here

as for the mobile speed cameras these are a revenue raising joke I am in Vic and the company that has the contract are evil with the placement of these things, don't let them privatize it for the sake of god don't.

[dom_105]

Originally Posted by devilcv8

As for Scruby, hands up everyone who has run over a pedestrian.


Scruby for one.

Interesting.

[devilcv8]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

I wasn't talking about radars or ladars or anything else, I was only talking about CAMERAS, mobile and fixed, sorry if you misunderstood my point. Maybe next time I'll have to s-p-e-l-l out every nuance and inference of any statement I make just so you don't get confused and start shooting from the hip again.......pedant :yeees:



Bushbasher

to spell it out for you, the FOI showed no mobile camera fines in term 4. There is nothing about other forms of speed enforcement, therefore your statement that school zones aren't covered is incorrect. While there is no mobile cameras there is still speed enforcement in school zones, as well as elsewhere.
maybe you should have wrote "no CAMERA fines"