ROAD users have failed to get the message with more than $500,000 going into government coffers from the city’s only speed and red light camera in the past 12 months.
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There were 2421 infringement notices totalling in $615,000 worth of fines issued by the camera at the intersection of Mahoneys Road and Raglan Parade in east Warrnambool for the past financial year. The most profitable three month period was January to March with $183,000 worth of fines issued.
From October to December there were 682 fines issued totalling in $172,000 of fines.
There has been a steady increase in the number of fines issued since the 2014-15 financial year when 1819 infringement notices for $448,000 in fines were issued. Despite the rise, the first year the system was installed remains the most profitable with 5666 fines issued for the 2012-13 period totalling $1.2 million of fines. According to the Department of Justice website speed and red-light cameras were important in changing driver behaviour. “They not only encourage drivers to slow down and obey traffic signals, but research has found drivers who have received fines in the past are less likely to speed or run a red-light in the future,” the website stated.
In June The Standard reported that a Warrnambool man had called for more red light cameras installed in the city. Wayne Welch said he had seen enough as a motorist and pedestrian to warrant more cameras. “I have seen three accidents in the last year which have been caused by people going through amber or red lights,” Mr Welch said.
“People don’t seem to care, they think there is no consequences to their actions. Red-light cameras may be one way of changing that, by hitting them in the hip pocket with fines.”
At the time a spokesman for the department said fixed camera locations were determined by a committee made up of representatives from Victoria Police, VicRoads and the Department of Justice and Regulation. “This committee reviews requests from across the community, including members of the public, local councils, community organisations, VicRoads and police,” he said.
“The committee considers location crash history, road type and the suitability of the site for a fixed camera.”