VOTE: Tasmania’s covert speed camera crackdown to curb road toll

News of more hidden speed cameras on Tasmania’s roads to help curb the road toll has drawn a mixed reaction. VOTE IN OUR POLL >>>

News of a crackdown on Tasmanian motorists who break the speed limit by implementing more covert speed cameras has been both welcomed and rejected by readers.

Tasmania Police have announced it will bring in eight more mobile cameras on the state’s roads in the coming months, in a bid to reduce the road toll.

The move has drawn a strong response from readers, some who have welcomed the move and others who see it as cynical revenue grab.

“Good!! It’s out of hand on many roads. Like they say... “Over is over”!! They also need more unmarked vehicles on the road to catch out some of the other idiots!!” Vern Richardson said.

Matt Burniston agreed: “Don’t speed and you have nothing to worry about,” he said.

But other readers say the move is too simplistic.

“Not a fan of covert. A great fan of overt, visible policing. The former is a revenue scam and hits a market of motor vehicles that to my mind have needed far better regulation for decades,” Bernd Wechner said.

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Scotty Knox is also dubious: “Cameras don’t stop the immediate offence of speeding, police on the roads do. No one cares two weeks latter when a fine turns up. Tasmania need more police on the road simple.”

Nick Martin says speedsters are only part of the problem: “They need to start targeting slow drivers as well, doing 70 or 80 in 110 zone is just as dangerous as speeding, especially when they speed up to 110 when reaching an overtaking lane,” he said.

EARLIER: A new fleet of automated mobile speed cameras will hit the roads in Tasmania over the next few months, and they could be anywhere, at any time.

Police will ramp up their efforts to combat speeding motorists with eight cameras that will use new technology bankrolled by the state government.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson said the government would contribute $9.3m over three years to roll out the cameras after seeing worsening “patterns of speeding” on the state’s roads.

“Unfortunately, Tasmanians still aren’t taking the dangers of speeding seriously enough so we have had to take action,” Mr Ferguson said.

Automated enforcement cameras get ready to roll with Road Safety Advisory Council chair Scott Tilyard and Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Higgins at Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

“The risks of speeding are well known, but there simply hasn’t been the change in attitudes to speeding to improve safety on our roads.

“In fact, police advise that patterns of speeding are getting worse … we’re not having a good year.”

The contract for the mobile speed cameras has been issued to Sensys Gatso Group, an international provider of automated traffic enforcement technology.

Covert in-vehicle enforcement cameras will be used along with traditional spot speed cameras that are visible on the road.

It is understood the new technology will be tested on the roads before it is used for enforcement, with the additional cameras likely to be active by September.

Tasmania Police are ramping up speed camera patrols.

Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Higgins said the new fleet would not replace police officers but would help “fill in the gaps” in enforcing traffic laws.

“There will be more police dedicated to road policing – the eight new cameras will not be manned by police, they will be manned by civilian,” Mr Higgins said.

“People still get caught on our fixed cameras – we’ve had them in place for more than a decade.

“We’ll have (cameras) that are more covert, in areas where maybe there is a high volume of traffic, where drivers will get a ticket in the mail.

“It will be a harsh reminder to make sure they are actually doing the speed limit.”

Originally published as VOTE: Tasmania’s covert speed camera crackdown to curb road toll