NSW To Introduce Point-To-Point Speed Cameras To Target Trucks

The NSW government will begin setting up a network of point-to-point speed cameras across its highways, largely to combat road deaths caused by speeding trucks.

Twenty stretches of road have been selected to receive the cameras, with length varying from 2km to 80km. All of the camera sites have been selected due to their high traffic and history of road accidents according to New South Wales' Minister for Roads Michael Daley.

While point-to-point cameras are presently used in Victoria to catch all speeding vehicles, Mr Daley says those in NSW will only be used to target heavy commercial vehicles.

"Heavy vehicles are over represented in fatal crashes and speed is all too often the cause," Mr Daley said in a statement issued yesterday.

"This new technology will help slow these drivers down and make our highways and country roads safer for everyone to use.

"In 2008 heavy vehicles made up about 2.6 per cent of all registered vehicles in NSW, but were involved in almost 20 per cent of the state’s road fatalities.

"And on the 20 stretches that have been selected for point-to-point cameras, heavy vehicles have been involved in 35 per cent of fatal crashes."

The New England Highway, the Newell Highway, the Hume Highway, the Pacific Highway and Mount Ousley Road will be among the routes targeted, with all 20 locations expected to be operational within two years.

Surveyss conducted by the RTA found 51 percent of truckers drove over the speed limit on the state's major highways in 2005, while almost seven percent exceeded 115km/h.

Aside from giving assurance that the cameras would produce a measurable reduction in the highway road toll, Mr Daley also stressed that the cameras were not a revenue-raising scheme.

"The new system is expected to cost the government up to $5 million a year to run, even after the costs are offset by the fines," Daley said.

Point-to-point speed cameras are currently used in Victoria and overseas, with the ACT also expected to introduce them in the near future.