Sydney speed, mobile cameras locations revealed on mapping site

Motorists working to dodge fines for speeding or using their phones while driving have created a map locating fixed and portable detection cameras — but not everyone is happy about it.SEE THE MAP HERE.

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Defiant motorists have band together to pinpoint the location of hundreds of speed and mobile phone detection cameras across NSW and the ACT in an effort to dodge big fines, demerit points and licence suspensions.

The use of the massive map by more than 2 million people — which features more than 500 entries including frequented NSW Police “speed trap” locations, random breath test and even mobile drug test hot spots — comes as the NSW Government identifies the sheer number of drivers being pinged by cameras across the state in the last financial year.

But NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury criticised the map, telling NewsLocal the organisation doesn’t support the crowdsourced identification of speed and phone detection camera locations.

“The NSW Government publish a list of potential locations for cameras across the state,” Mr Khoury said. “This alone should be a deterrent to ensure motorists are doing the right thing, not spark crowdsourced mapping to cheat the system.”

Mr Khoury said motorists are taking huge risks by banking on crowdsourced maps.

“We don’t want police or mobile cameras to be tracked as they have an important job to do in our community,” he said. “We don’t want a situation where Police are being outed on websites by people wanting an avenue to cheat the system.” 

Transport for NSW mobile phone detection cameras issued a whopping 53,643 fines since they were rolled out in March, generating $23.129 million in revenue.

Meanwhile, 595,135 speeding and red light camera infringements were issued in the last financial year, generating $176.191 million.

Roads Minister Andrew Constance said the NSW Government’s mobile phone detection program has been a success.

“Non-compliance is down significantly,” he said.

Transport for NSW deputy secretary Tara McCarthy said there has been a reduction in the number of drivers being caught on their phone while behind the wheel since the 2019 pilot program.

“A decision was made not to reveal the locations of the mobile phone detection cameras to deter people from breaking the law and putting people’s lives at risk,” Ms McCarthy said.

“Offenders need to believe they could be caught anywhere on the road network at any time.

“Drivers captured on camera doing the wrong thing receive a $349 fine, or a $464 fine in a school zone, and five demerit points, or 10 during double demerit periods.”

All revenue raised from speed camera and mobile phone detection camera fines go directly into the Community Road Safety Fund — which is used to fund road safety programs such as high visibility police operations and school zone flashing lights.

The creator of the map — who only wanted to be referred to by his first name Jon — said it had been worked on since 2013.

“I make sure the info on the map is pretty much 100 per cent accurate and also double check things before adding anything else to the map,” the creator said.

In response to backlash over the publication of the cameras, the creator said GPS and the WAZE app already publish a lot of the data available in the map.

“Our main focus is speed cameras,” Jon said. “We only feature fixed mobile phone detection cameras along with a few hot spots.

The manager of the map said he supported the use of portable speed and phone detection cameras as they “are saving lives”.

Jon also answers questions around camera locations on his Facebook page, which can be found here.

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