Extra 30 red light speed cameras installed in Melbourne
AN extra 30 red light speed cameras will begin nabbing hoons across Melbourne from Good Friday.
Victoria Police will upgrade cameras at 30 locations across the city which currently operate red light cameras on rotation. The new cameras will operate at the sites year-round.
The digital technology will enable police to nab both speeding drivers and those that run red lights. The current red light cameras will continue to rotate among 53 sites across Melbourne.
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Assistant Commissioner (Traffic) Ken Lay said the sites were chosen because of a high accident rate and a high level of red-light running.
He said the camera would reduce the rate of intersection crashes.
“Last year 28 people were killed as a result of side impact collisions at intersections, with 25 per cent of all serious injuries also caused this way,” he said.
“There were also over 4000 recorded collisions at intersections and a large percentage of these involved speed and motorists taking a gamble by running a red light.
The additional cameras are expected to add millions of dollars to Government coffers, but Mr Lay said there was no excuse for drivers to run red lights.
“Police have no sympathy for the drivers losing money and demerit points due to their own stupidity, that’s reserved for the hundreds of families spending countless hours in hospital waiting rooms and rehabilitation centres because someone made a stupid decision,” he said.
“Do the crime, pay the fine – it is as simple as that. The cameras work to reduce road trauma and while that is the case police make no apology for using them.”
He said police would continue to upgrade to digital technology as the older wet film system was phased out.
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with the accuracy of the wet film red light cameras however we are going to reach a point in the near future when the components are no longer available,” he said.
“The great advantage of red light cameras is that they allow for the offence to be enforced safely without putting our members in danger by following another vehicle through.”
Original article can be seen here >> also shows camera locations http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25302389-661,00.html
