Mr ELFERINK - 1998-10-15
Speed cameras have been in use in the Northern Territory for several months now, and red light cameras are on the way. Would the minister please provide the House with an update on the impact of speed cameras since their introduction?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the speed cameras were in fact introduced on 1 August on a trial basis. Since that time, 1746 cautionary letters and 478 traffic infringement notices have been sent out to people who have been picked up for exceeding speed limits by the speed cameras. Members might have noticed, particularly around Darwin, that while there has been a general decrease in the speed people are travelling, which is commendable and certainly what the speed cameras are designed to do, there have been some very worrying circumstances, particularly around schools, where people continue to drive beyond the speed limit through the restricted zones. That is of great concern. However, as of 13 October, the cameras have checked 82 509 vehicles and 3015 of these have been caught speeding.
Motorists should be aware that there are now some 350 sites across the Northern Territory that have been identified as places appropriate to locate speed cameras. That substantial number of sites should indicate to motorists that police will be particularly active in relation to the use of those sites and ensuring that people drive safely within the speed limits and in accordance with the safety of other road users.
Of real concern however, as I said, is the number of people caught speeding across school crossings, during school hours. In one location 75 motorists were caught and in another 117 motorists were caught speeding through restricted zones at schools. I think members would agree that that kind of behaviour is incomprehensible. We will be ensuring that speed cameras will operate daily at crossings in the front of our schools to protect young Territorians.
The current education period for speed cameras will finish at the end of this month and from 1 November no further warnings will be sent out. From that date, traffic infringement notices will be incurred by motorists if they are caught speeding by the speed cameras. The red light cameras will be introduced operationally in November and those people who speed or run red lights from November can expect to be picked up by these measures. Hopefully that that will result in fewer accidents and should certainly relieve the workload of Police, Fire and Emergency Services staff and should also spare ambulance staff the traumas that they have experienced too often on our roads this year, with record numbers of road fatalities.
It may be instructive for honourable members if I give a couple of examples of what police have had to deal with in relation to incidents and the speed cameras. On 17 September, a loaded semi-trailer went through the school crossing on Ross Smith Avenue at 60 kph. The image taken by the camera indicates that a child has just stepped off the crossing. That sort of behaviour, with a loaded semi-trailer in an urban area going past a school at that speed with a child on the crossing, cannot be tolerated.
On 2 September, at approximately 3.00 pm, a Holden sedan was checked in excess of 10 km over the limit at the Gsell Street school crossing. The driver proceeded into the school grounds, did a burn-out and then proceeded over the crossing again, travelling in excess of 10 kph over the limit. This was totally irresponsible.
On 22 September, following a heavy downpour, a Holden sedan towing a trailer was observed approaching a school crossing on Essington Avenue at an excessive speed. Inbound vehicles stopped to allow a child across. The driver of the Holden apparently did not see the child until the last minute and had to brake heavily, leaving a skid mark 20m long and stopping across the path of the child on the crossing.
Red light and speed cameras are designed to prevent drivers behaving in that way on our roads, and to improve the level of safety for all road users, particularly school children. These alarming examples indicate the dangers, I think. Something has to be done about it. The police are out there and they are being proactive.
I do advise motorists that as of November, both red light and speed cameras will be operating, the preliminary warning system will have stopped and it will be a traffic infringement notice, not a warning letter, motorists will receive if they drive through a red light or exceed the speed limit.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the speed cameras were in fact introduced on 1 August on a trial basis. Since that time, 1746 cautionary letters and 478 traffic infringement notices have been sent out to people who have been picked up for exceeding speed limits by the speed cameras. Members might have noticed, particularly around Darwin, that while there has been a general decrease in the speed people are travelling, which is commendable and certainly what the speed cameras are designed to do, there have been some very worrying circumstances, particularly around schools, where people continue to drive beyond the speed limit through the restricted zones. That is of great concern. However, as of 13 October, the cameras have checked 82 509 vehicles and 3015 of these have been caught speeding.
Motorists should be aware that there are now some 350 sites across the Northern Territory that have been identified as places appropriate to locate speed cameras. That substantial number of sites should indicate to motorists that police will be particularly active in relation to the use of those sites and ensuring that people drive safely within the speed limits and in accordance with the safety of other road users.
Of real concern however, as I said, is the number of people caught speeding across school crossings, during school hours. In one location 75 motorists were caught and in another 117 motorists were caught speeding through restricted zones at schools. I think members would agree that that kind of behaviour is incomprehensible. We will be ensuring that speed cameras will operate daily at crossings in the front of our schools to protect young Territorians.
The current education period for speed cameras will finish at the end of this month and from 1 November no further warnings will be sent out. From that date, traffic infringement notices will be incurred by motorists if they are caught speeding by the speed cameras. The red light cameras will be introduced operationally in November and those people who speed or run red lights from November can expect to be picked up by these measures. Hopefully that that will result in fewer accidents and should certainly relieve the workload of Police, Fire and Emergency Services staff and should also spare ambulance staff the traumas that they have experienced too often on our roads this year, with record numbers of road fatalities.
It may be instructive for honourable members if I give a couple of examples of what police have had to deal with in relation to incidents and the speed cameras. On 17 September, a loaded semi-trailer went through the school crossing on Ross Smith Avenue at 60 kph. The image taken by the camera indicates that a child has just stepped off the crossing. That sort of behaviour, with a loaded semi-trailer in an urban area going past a school at that speed with a child on the crossing, cannot be tolerated.
On 2 September, at approximately 3.00 pm, a Holden sedan was checked in excess of 10 km over the limit at the Gsell Street school crossing. The driver proceeded into the school grounds, did a burn-out and then proceeded over the crossing again, travelling in excess of 10 kph over the limit. This was totally irresponsible.
On 22 September, following a heavy downpour, a Holden sedan towing a trailer was observed approaching a school crossing on Essington Avenue at an excessive speed. Inbound vehicles stopped to allow a child across. The driver of the Holden apparently did not see the child until the last minute and had to brake heavily, leaving a skid mark 20m long and stopping across the path of the child on the crossing.
Red light and speed cameras are designed to prevent drivers behaving in that way on our roads, and to improve the level of safety for all road users, particularly school children. These alarming examples indicate the dangers, I think. Something has to be done about it. The police are out there and they are being proactive.
I do advise motorists that as of November, both red light and speed cameras will be operating, the preliminary warning system will have stopped and it will be a traffic infringement notice, not a warning letter, motorists will receive if they drive through a red light or exceed the speed limit.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016