Police appalled at high number of detections in just one week by Cairns’ newest fixed speed camera
POLICE are appalled at the number of people who have already been caught doing the wrong thing by Cairns’ newest fixed speed/red light camera. HAVE YOUR SAY
- Lead-footed motorists beware: third fixed speed camera installed along major Cairns road
- Councillor queries location of Cairns’ new fixed speed camera
- More than $1 million in fines generated by fixed speed and red light camera along Cairns road
- 72 seconds between hotspot hits
NEARLY 21 motorists a day have been caught speeding and running red lights by Cairns’ newest fixed camera in its first week of operation.
Figures obtained from the Queensland Police Service reveal the fixed speed/red light camera installed in July at the intersection of the Bruce Highway and Coombs St, next to Mt Sheridan Plaza shopping centre, has detected 149 infringements in just one week. This equates to $25,926 in fines generated by the camera during the seven-day period.
The camera, one of three across Cairns, was put through a three-month trial and was only activated on Monday, September 24.
A police spokeswoman said the number of detections at the intersection during its first week of operation was “appalling.”
“Drivers that are prepared to speed through a signalised intersection or disobey a red traffic signal are taking unnecessary and dangerous risks that create an increased danger to all other road users including drivers and pedestrians,” she said.
Cairns Division 3 Councillor Cathy Zeiger, who previously believed the camera should have been installed at Foster Rd, was shocked by the statistics.
“It makes me worried; what are they missing at the Foster Rd/Bruce Highway intersection?” she said.
“Because (speeding drivers) come screaming down the hill there, which is why I was so adamant about getting (school) crossing supervisors there.
“And the crossing supervisors still tell me nightmare tales of them pulling kids back, because people are running red lights in the morning.”
The two other fixed speed/red light cameras in the Cairns area are located at the intersection of Upwards and Sheridan streets in Cairns North, and at the intersection of Mulgrave Rd and McCoombe St in Mooroobool.
In August, the Cairns Post reported that from June 1, 2017 through to May 31 this year, 3188 red light notices were issued, and 480 speed notices were issued, following detections by the Mooroobool camera.
This equated to a total $1.33 million in fines generated by the camera in just 12 months.
Originally published as Police appalled at high number of detections in just one week by Cairns’ newest fixed speed camera
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