Former roads minister Duncan Gay said the NSW government was ‘wrong’ to remove speed camera warning signs

Drivers have been stung with an astronomical increase in speeding fines after a rule change an ex-minister has branded as ‘wrong’.

Speeding fines have skyrocketed by more than $20 million since warning signs were taken away last year, prompting former roads Minister Duncan Gay to say the NSW government’s decision to remove them was wrong.

A parliamentary inquiry is investigating the impact and viability of unmarked speed cameras in a bid to figure out whether the move was made to save lives or for revenue raising.

Fine revenue from mobile speed cameras for offences less than 10km/h has increased from $2.3 million in 2019/2020 to $23.3 million in the last financial year.

Mr Gay, who was the state’s roads minister between 2011 and 2017, on Monday told the inquiry he believed the government made the move in “good faith” but it ultimately was the “wrong decision”.

Former roads Minister Duncan Gay has said the NSW government’s decision to remove warning signs at speed cameras was wrong. Photo: Bob Barker.

“I believe it is a wrong decision, it is not the decision I made on the evidence that was before me at the time, but I believe they have made it in good faith with the advice they’ve had at hand,” he said.

Mr Gay told the inquiry the best safety incentive was a “marked police car with a copper in it”, which had the same effect as signposting cameras.

However, highway patrol cars who make a point to hide among trees or behind billboards were “just wrong”.

“The speed cameras are important, but they shouldn’t be there for entrapment. They should be there for safety reasons,” he said.

Mr Gay questioned whether the government would remove signs at red light cameras in the future.

During his time as roads minister in 2015, Mr Gay made mobile speed cameras more visible for drivers.

Mr Gay told the inquiry the best safety incentive was a “marked police car with a copper in it”, which had the same effect as signposting cameras. Picture: Jonathan Ng

He also removed speed cameras which he believed were “not fulfilling a proper purpose” and increased the number of cameras across NSW.

National Motorists Association Australia’s Michael Lane agreed with Mr Gay and said more police officers actively patrolling roads would improve the public’s perception of enforcement.

Mr Lane said more police on the road would have a greater impact on driver behaviour and help them solve “other crimes”.

“A camera is just a fine in the post later, it doesn’t mean anything,” Mr Lane said.

Shadow Transport Minister Jo Haylen told 2GB’s Jim Wilson if removing signs was for safety then the amount of fines should have decreased.

“Fines have increased from $2.3 million in 2019/2020 to $23.3 million in 2021. We need to have confidence in the system,” she said.

“This afternoon in this parliamentary inquiry we heard some sensible contributions from the former minister for roads who said it was the wrong decision to remove the warning signs.

The NSW government announced in November 2020 warning signs at mobile speed cameras would be removed.

“What we want is people not speeding in the first place, for us it has been trying to prevent that, giving fair warning, slowing people down, preventing accidents rather than you getting a fine in the mail two to three weeks later, that doesn’t seem logical.”

The inquiry was told fines were having more of an effect on NSW residents with less money, and it was proving to be harder for drivers to lose their licence in a regional area with less access to public transport.

The NSW government announced in November 2020 warning signs at mobile speed cameras would be removed.

But in August they made a partial backtrack and said fixed warning signs would be rolled out as a reminder drivers can be caught anywhere at any time.

The decision was prompted by an influx of people being fined for going less than 10km/h over the limit.

The inquiry will continue on Tuesday.

Originally published as Former roads minister Duncan Gay said the NSW government was ‘wrong’ to remove speed camera warning signs