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National | Driving

Waterview cams net eye-watering $1mil in 6 weeks

NZ Police have released data showing that speed cameras operating at the recently opened Waterview Tunnel in Tāmaki Makaurau have resulted in nearly $1mil in fines in six weeks.

Since July 21st 2017, the police have operated four speed cameras at the tunnel entrances.

According to police, drivers were ‘given advance warning on NZ Transport Agency signage that the safe speed cameras would be enforcing the 80 km speed limit.’

Between the 21st July and 31st August 2017, Police safe speed cameras issued 9,756 infringement notices for excessive speed, from a total of 1,520,767 vehicle trips through the tunnel.

This equates to 6 in every 1,000 vehicles entering Waterview Tunnel incurring an infringement notice.

The total infringement fee value of the notices generated by the safe speed cameras was $948,220.

“Unfortunately, the infringement data released for the Waterview Tunnel shows that a large number of road users are simply driving too fast,” says National Manager of Road Policing Superintendent Steve Greally.

“The speed limit set for Waterview Tunnel is there to keep all road users safe and a crash would likely cause significant harm and traffic disruption”.

Safe speed cameras on average reduce fatal and serious injury crashes by about 20% within the sphere of influence of the camera (up to about 1 km).

Fines associated with drivers exceeding the speed limit do not go directly to police but instead contribute to the Government’s consolidated fund.

“We know from international evidence that safe speed cameras do have an impact on slowing people down,” says Mr Greally.

“Success to police would be issuing no infringements”.