Speed Cameras In Melbourne CBD Switched Off For 12 Months: Report

The many speed cameras around Melbourne’s CBD have reportedly been switched off for over 12 months.

According to 7 News Melbourne, the public was not informed of the decision, which occurred in September last year when CBD speed limits were reduced from 50km/h to 40km/h.

The Victorian Department of Justice reportedly said that the speed limit change was too dramatic to begin fining motorists who breeched the 40km/h limit straight away.

Victoria Police claiming that fewer motorists were fined for speeding last year have now been called into question, with the knowledge that few offenders in the CBD were being booked.

But the honeymoon period is almost over, with testing of the cameras at the new speed limit to begin shortly before the network is switched back on in the coming months.

The news has also reignited the debate on whether the speed limit in Melbourne’s CBD should be lowered even further in high-traffic pedestrian areas, to 30km/h.  

Red light cameras are unaffected by the decision and have been operating continuously the entire time.