Not surprisingly, revenue from mobile speed detection cameras has gone through the roof since the removal of warning signs alerting traffic to their location. The decision announced last year had seen December revenue from them reach $2.5 million, over 6 times more than the $400,000 they raked in in December 2019. This doesn’t include revenue from fixed speed cameras or infringements issued by Police. Additionally, the 45 mobile speed camera cars had their hours of operation tripled to 21,000 hours per month. Will this new measure save lives – probably not according to the N.R.M.A. yet the State Government believes it could well save between 34 to 43 lives per year. Our road toll for 2020 stood at 339 down from 352 in 2019, due in part to a big drop in traffic during the height of the pandemic. Only time will tell whether the new measure will make a meaningful difference to the road toll. But it will certainly boost Government coffers.

I’m David Berthon

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