Police call for more road cameras (vic)

Police call for more road cameras



VICTORIAN drivers could be hit with more speed cameras under tougher
measures being considered by the State Government, after a plea by the
state's top traffic policeman to end the carnage on the roads.

Assistant Commissioner Noel Ashby said stricter measures were needed
to prevent "a jumbo jet full" of people losing their lives each year.

Mr Ashby said it was a dismal fact that people aged 16 to 25 were not
heeding the road safety message, with many believing they were
"invincible". "Drivers might hate the cameras but the fact is it's one
of the initiatives which have seen the annual road toll drop to the
mid-300s from more than 700 a year in the early 1990s," Mr Ashby said.

Evidence from Victoria's newest speed cameras, on the
Melbourne-Geelong road, paints an alarming picture of the scale of the
problem.

During a test period of just one week at the beginning of last month,
577 drivers were caught travelling at more than 25 km/h over the
limit, including one car doing 207 km/h.

Twenty-eight people have been killed on Victoria's roads so far this
year. The latest fatalities yesterday were an 81-year-old woman in a
two-car collision at Tatura and a 22-year-old motorcyclist who hit a
tree in Werribee.

Mr Ashby said increasing speed camera numbers was not about
revenue-raising but helping to reduce the road toll.

"There's no doubt fatalities have dropped by a significant amount each
year as a consequence of cars slowing down because of speed cameras.

"The challenge we face now is where do we go from here, because the
fact is a jumbo jet full of people are still dying on our roads every
year.

"We've got to think about the future of cameras. We have to plan ahead
for the new freeways such as EastLink — the Mitcham-Frankston tollway
opens in 2008 — and we also need to discuss the broader utilisation of
mobile cameras."

Mr Ashby refused to reveal how many cameras were operating in
Victoria. "We don't want people to think we have less than we actually
have. I don't want to sound like a wet blanket, but I'd be happy if
people thought there was a camera on every arterial road all the
time."

The speed camera issue was raised last week during the bi-monthly
meeting of key government and transport figures, including Transport
Minister Peter Batchelor, Police Minister Tim Holding, TAC Minister
John Lenders, and the heads of both the TAC and VicRoads, who form
part of a subcommittee of state cabinet set up to investigate ways to
improve road safety.

"It is a meeting that determines the best way forward to explore ways
to reduce the road toll further, and the main issues included new
technology (such as anti-skidding computer systems), anti-hoon
legislation (to be introduced from July 1, giving police the power to
seize cars), and enforcement. Do we expand traffic camera operations
and in what way if we do?" Mr Ashby said.

RACV public policy general manager Ken Ogden said the organisation did
not have a problem with speed cameras as long as they were not used as
revenue-raisers.

"Our position is that cameras should be deployed at sites where there
is a speed-related safety problem," he said.


"If they are put on sites where there is no speed problem, it gives
the public the wrong impression that they are not about safety but
revenue."

Mr Ashby said one of the most difficult road safety issues facing
police today was trying to get the message across to young drivers
about the dangers of speeding.

When asked about the case of a 19-year-old learner driver caught by
police last month travelling at 175 km/h on the Mornington Peninsula
Freeway at Mount Martha with a blood alcohol reading of 0.061, Mr
Ashby said: "Did it amaze me? No. Is it disappointing? Yes. Is it sad
for the community? Yes.

"There is unfortunately a very small percentage of the community who
simply do what they want. They show a complete disregard for the
safety of themselves and others. It is those type of people we really
need to take off the roads for a long time."

The apprentice chef arrested by police said he was running late for
work.

Of the 348 road deaths last year, 107 victims were aged between 16 and
25.

State Government spokesman Andrew Eales said there needed to be a
balanced approach to the measures used to curb the road toll.

He said the State Government continued to take advice, including from
Victoria Police, concerning the use of speed cameras, but that should
not be seen as a panacea on the issue.

ON CAMERA

¦There are more than 2500 speed cameras in Victoria.

¦Nine fixed digital red light cameras and one combined speed-red light
camera operate in Melbourne.

¦State Government revenue from speeding fines is expected to reach
$324.2 million for 2005-06, up from $247.2 million the previous
financial year.

¦There is a gradual roll-out of new, high-tech cameras at 78 locations
across Victoria.

 

Mr Ashby said it was a dismal fact that people aged 16 to 25 were not

The latest fatalities yesterday were an 81-year-old woman

well thats an oxymoron

When asked about the case of a 19-year-old learner driver caught by

Last time i checked speed cameras did not detect alcohol!

 

You're supposed to read the whole sentence.

Nev..
'04 CBR1100XX

 

Shouldn't the road toll be 577 then? I'm confused....

 

well maybe they should hire more COPS instead of speed cameras

 

Now there's a plan - only trouble is it would COST them money instead of
GENERATING money.

JL

 

police recruitment might explain why they started introducing literacy
tests in schools a few years ago...

Nev..
'04 CBR1100XX

 

How about funneling all that Speed Camera revenue into more cops?
NSW raises about $100M from Speed Cameras each year, which at a salary of
say $50k per cop(?), allows for 2000 more police!!!
Think how much safer NSW would be with 2000 more cops on the beat (I'm
talking real cops, not the useless ones)

 

(I'm talking real cops, not the useless ones)
you were doing alright up till there.. I only thought there was one
type of them (the second one)..

 

Maybe its time for you to book into night school to improve you,re maths ...

Your esimate does not include additional costs such as uniforms , workcover
, cars , petrol and bullets etc etc .

I would say you would be lucky to get 1100 police for 100 million dollars

 

And that would not make any difference at all... Not worth
considering.

 

Highway patrol alone, not including the speed cameras as they are rta owned,
generates 3 times the police budget of the nsw police, some 15,000 strong
sworn and unsworn workers, however 25% of them are actually long term sick
leave, ie, injuries, stress, etc basically pre 88's go off on a few years
stress leave before retiring, they get counted in the numbers as they are
still getting paid.

lets not forget that those 15,000 cops also pay tax's so they get half their
money back..

nsw police association has called for an additional 3000 recruits, which is
needed in my opinion, we are very very few in numbers these days.. more cops
leave the service then they hire..

oh they also have mandatory spelling testing at the academy with those
poorer kinds given additional English subjects...

Mad
now with added kidney stones to enhance grumpiness

 

no we stopped them in time by giving them an infringement notice in the mail
4-8 weeks later...

 

Mr Ashby said it was a dismal fact that people aged 16 to 25 were notUm, why would you expect anyone in the 16 or 17 year old group to heed a
road safety message. In Victoria, they would either have stolen the
car, or be driving without a fully licensed driver (who, in theory,
would stop them speeding). i.e. speeding is the least of their
infractions.

Damn leadfoot grannies!! They should target the message against
this demographic!

Rob.

 

old people hold the majority vote these days from what ive been told..

 

Why, how many of them are pocketing the revenue now?

GB

 

well i could do with more money, i barly get paid as it is...

make it law so the speed camera money goes into my pocket please and ill buy
you a beer..

 

Speed cameras must have caused road patrol Policemen a great deal of
hardship, removing a large percentage of their tax-free income. You're going
to have to join the crime squad.

Theo

 

That's a bit rough, MB. The other family of grass they grow down your way
would be more profitable but look on the bright side, you can always turn
the barley into malt, beer and whiskey!

 

In aus.motorcycles on Tue, 7 Feb 2006 10:01:20 +0800

"I'm prompt, alert, efficient, while on the Outer Drive.
I haven't made a single pinch since 1935.
I'm courteous to the speeder, I praise him for his skill.
And I always have the proper change for a twenty dollar bill".

I suspect the rates have gone up in Chicago since that song was
written...


Zebee