RTA discusses speed camera issues

THE RTA met with concerned Clunes residents this week to discuss the town's speed camera.

THE RTA met with concerned Clunes residents this week to discuss the town's speed camera, which was turned to warning mode recently when the State Government dubbed it "ineffective".

RTA representatives, Lismore MP Thomas George and Lismore City Council representatives were seated among half-a-dozen local residents at the meeting on Monday night.

Roads Minister Duncan Gay ordered a review of all NSW speed cameras and in July, 38 were identified as ineffective, including the camera at Clunes.

On August 29, the 50kmh camera was switched from generating fines to generating warning letters for offenders.

Garry Johnston from Clunes Auto Centre said the prospect of reactivating the camera was brought up at this week's meeting.

He said figures reported in The Northern Star last week, which showed there were more than double the amount of warnings issued in September compared with the same time last year "spoke for itself".

"People are ignoring the camera now," Mr Johnston said.

"We did discuss whether (speeding motorists) could be not fined but could still lose demerit points.

"The residents of Clunes had a say so now we are waiting on an outcome and it could take a few weeks to get a proposal from (the RTA) back."

A RTA spokeswoman said officials at the meeting listened to "community concerns and collected useful information about road safety issues near the camera site".

"Concerns raised included speeding tourists and heavy vehicles at the camera location and pedestrian safety concerns near the main shops and outside the service station," the spokeswoman said.

"A detailed site inspection was also carried out."

The RTA is calling for community feedback regarding the Clunes camera site.

Submissions can be emailed to [e-mail] or mailed to Camera Location Review, PO Box 928, North Sydney NSW 2059.

Should the RTA start fining people again? Leave a comment below.

Originally published as RTA discusses speed camera issues