Victorian budget: Road fines to help state park $2.5bn in the bank

Lead-foot drivers and toll evaders will be stung by almost $2.5bn in fines over the four years.

Lead-foot drivers and toll evaders will be stung by almost $2.5bn in fines over the four years in a jackpot for Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas.

Budget figures show motorists paid $330m in speed camera fines this year, and this is forecast to soar to $475m next year before climbing to $524m in 2012-22, $545m in 2022-23 and reaching $553m in 2023-24.

Toll evaders were hit with $91m in fines this year, and while this will fall to $69m next year ­because of the coronavirus pandemic slashing traffic, Treasury estimates the fines will bounce back to about $130m a year until 2024. One of the factors driving speed camera revenue is likely to be a plan to expand the network of point-to-point cameras on the West Gate Bridge and major links such as the Monash, Tullamarine and Eastern freeways.

The lifesaving devices could also be deployed on critical regional routes during holiday seasons. Victoria’s road toll currently sits at 197, 44 fewer than the same time last year.

Misbehaving Victorians may cause a nuisance and disruption, but they are also important revenue raisers for Mr Pallas, with total on-the-spot fines issued by police predicted to pull in more than $800m until 2024.