Mobile speed camera warning signs to be reintroduced in a new way in NSW

A partial backflip on warning signs at mobile speed cameras has been made just one year after it was announced that they would be removed.

The NSW government has announced it will be reintroducing warning signs at mobile speed cameras just one year after they were taken away in a bid to improve road safety, but they won’t be the same.

It has been one year since the decision was made to remove the signs and more than triple the hours of operation on the roads.

Deputy Premier and Regional Transport and Roads Minister Paul Toole and Transport and Roads Minister Rob Stokes made the announcement on Friday morning.

However, instead of signs notifying drivers a mobile speed camera is ahead, large warnings will be put onto the roof of every mobile speed camera vehicle in the partial backflip.

All mobile speed camera vehicles will also be marked in a policy to make them even more visible to motorists.

Mr Toole said drivers would still be able to see the new signs and be warned to slow down if they were paying attention to the road.

Mobile speed camera warning signs will be reintroduced in NSW just one year after they were taken away. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“They are large enough and obvious enough that anyone that’s paying attention on our roads should see them in time to be able to adjust their behaviour before being caught if they have slipped slightly over the speed limit,” he said.

Mr Toole said the large signs on the cars would be more visible than the small signs were.

While the government had taken into consideration a complete backflip, it decided to settle on the new warning signs.

“They are in a different format, but these signs are coming back and we’ll explore other options as well if need be,” Mr Toole said.

Government data revealed the mobile speed cameras had slapped NSW drivers with more fines and collected more money in the past year than in the five years prior to removing the signs.

Speeding fines have skyrocketed with almost $40.4m issued to drivers caught less than 10km over the speed limit in the 12 months to December.

Only $14.8m in fines were issued for the same offence over the five years leading up to 2021.

For all speeding fines, a total of $64m was issued in the past 12 months compared with $38.6m in the five years prior.

Deputy Premier and Regional Transport and Roads Minister Paul Toole says the signs will be big enough for drivers to adjust their behaviour. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

Earlier this month speed cameras without warning signs were slammed at a parliamentary inquiry, with former roads minister Duncan Gay saying the decision to remove the signs was wrong.

Mr Gay, who was the state’s roads minister between 2011 and 2017, told the inquiry he believed the government made the move in “good faith” but it ultimately was the “wrong decision”.

“It is not the decision I made on the evidence that was before me at the time, but I believe they have made it in good faith with the advice they’ve had at hand,” Mr Gay said.

Mr Gay told the inquiry the best safety incentive was a “marked police car with a copper in it”, which had the same effect as signposting cameras.

The inquiry was told fines were having more of an effect on NSW residents with less money. It was also told drivers in regional areas who lost their licence did it tougher with less access to public transport.