One Melbourne intersection is raking in $45,000 a day in speed and red light fines

A MELBOURNE CBD intersection has overtaken a notorious Chadstone junction as Victoria’s most lucrative speed camera site, raking in $45,000 a day in fines from drivers. See the list.

A MELBOURNE CBD intersection has overtaken a notorious Chadstone junction as Victoria’s most lucrative speed camera site, with $45,000 a day recorded in fines from drivers breaking laws.

In just six weeks more than 9400 motorists were nabbed by cameras at the corner of King and La Trobe streets, rivalling the fine revenue raked in at the notorious junction of Warrigal and Batesford roads over three months.

Department of Justice and Regulation spokeswoman Ashleigh Brown said the cameras were switched on mid-February and in the first four months clocked an average of 137 speedsters and seven cars running red lights each day in the 40km/h zone.

“That’s despite the risk to those in the busy intersection including our most vulnerable road users — pedestrians and cyclists,” Ms Brown said.

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Cameras at the intersection of King and La Trobe streets are snapping an average 137 speeding motorists daily. Picture: Rebecca David

The department has released road safety camera data for the January-March 2018 quarter.

Overall there was a 4.2 per cent drop in fines issued compared to the same period last year.

This was largely attributed to cameras being switched off for maintenance and roadworks across Melbourne.

“We have strict maintenance processes in place for each individual camera to ensure they only capture motorists doing the wrong thing,” Ms Brown said.

The junction of Batesford and Warrigal roads Chadstone raked in more than $25,000 a day with 9487 fines issued, which was an eight per cent decrease on the previous quarter.

The junction of Warrigal and Batesford roads in Chadstone is also a notorious speed and red light camera hotspot.

While the number of fines issued at Fitzroy St and Lakeside Drive in St Kilda plummeted from 11,038 in the first three months of 2017 to just 5182 this year, this was attributed to cameras being switched off for maintenance along with road and footpath works.

But drivers do seem to be getting the message and slowing down at the notorious intersection of William and Flinders streets in the CBD, thanks to new road markers installed by VicRoads.

There was a drop of almost 60 per cent in fines issued at the site.

The two top earning sites for the March 2018 quarter were both 40km/h zones. Picture: Rebecca David

Statewide there were 340,812 fines issued during the January-March quarter — 3786 a day — collecting a total of $87.4 million.

More than 75 per cent of the speeding fines issued across the board were to motorists exceeding the speed limit by less than 10km/h.

Red light fines — which attract high penalties and three demerit points — shot up 18.5 per cent compared with the same period in 2017.

Right angle crashes could be particularly severe as many vehicles offered little side protection.

“Speed cameras play a critical role in changing driver behaviour and helping keep people safe on our roads. They help save lives and prevent serious injury,” Ms Brown said.

“Research shows us that a pedestrian hit by a car travelling at 60km/h is unlikely to survive, whereas a pedestrian struck at 40km/h has a much greater chance of survival.”

SITES WITH MOST FINES ISSUED — JANUARY-MARCH 2018

1. Warrigal and Batesford roads, Chadstone — 9487 fines

2. King and La Trobe streets, West Melbourne — 9450*

3. Princes Freeway, Lara, Avalon Rd Bridge, Melbourne-bound — 6658

4. Princes Freeway, Point Cook, Forsyth Rd Bridge, Geelong-bound — 6284

5. Fitzroy St ad Lakeside Drive, St Kilda — 5182

6. Princes Freeway, Hoppers Crossing, Forsyth Rd Bridge, Melbourne-bound — 4651

7. Flinders and William St, Melbourne CBD — 4423

8. Western Ring Rd, about 1600m west of Sydney Rd, Broadmeadows — 4179

9. Geelong Rd and Droop St, Footscray — 3875

10. Princes Freeway, Lara, Avalon Rd Bridge, Geelong-bound — 3718

*For the six weeks from February 12