John Williamson: Government finally makes public commitment to speed warning signage

The speed camera at Kauri, on SH1, on the outskirts of Whangārei, has generated millions of dollars in infringement revenue.

OPINION

Five years ago, I wrote a column questioning why the fixed speed camera situated at Kauri, just north of Whangārei, had racked up 47,000 tickets and generated $4.8 million in infringement revenue in its first 12 months.

At the time it was far and away the most prolific fixed speed camera in the country and my comment was: ”It is just not acceptable to have a single speed camera continuing to generate this sort of revenue without some change. Long term some engineering upgrade is needed. Short term though, drivers need some warning about the speeding danger on the road, and a sign indicating that this was a speed camera operating area is called for.”

Since then there has been a “Reduce speed now” sign installed and the revenue has more than halved. However, this is the only operating speed camera in the country that has any form of speed warning signage near it, and that is a national AA issue.

The warning signs near the fixed speed camera in Kauri, north of Whangārei. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Most drivers do not note changes in speed limits unless the road itself changes or a sign tells them about it. Warning signs give drivers a chance to check their speed, and that’s about playing fair. Otherwise, it’s just revenue gathering.

This is not a new issue. The AA has been on about it for many years, and for years politicians have just given empty promises. Last month the AA upped the ante with a media campaign.

In searching for background to this column, I discovered an editorial written in the Otago Daily Times on September 11, 2011. That’s 13 years ago and the following paraphrases what was written then.

What is the ultimate aim of the AA fixed speed camera campaign? The answer obviously is getting drivers to slow down.

Fixed speed cameras are placed in safety black spots where there is a history of speed-related crashes. These sites are scenes of multiple crashes which leave ordinary people dead or injured. The fact that some of these cameras are still issuing thousands of tickets is testament to their failure and speeds are not being well managed.

Having signs alerting drivers that this is a speed camera area, indicating that drivers should check their speed, has got to be a good thing and squashes the revenue-gathering myth. A fixed speed camera that issues no tickets is a success in achieving its one and only goal. After all, the camera is there because of the black spot’s demonstrated speed-related crash history, not just a recognised fishing hole.

The AA is only calling for signs ahead of fixed cameras. It supports the continuation of mobile cameras without signage. So if a driver chooses to slow down for a sign-posted camera and then speed up over the limit again, it is a fair cop if caught by an anytime, anywhere mobile camera.

It’s not about helping drivers to avoid tickets. It’s about getting drivers to slow down especially at identified high-risk areas.

No driver has grounds to complain about a speed camera ticket. The simple truth is, if you don’t speed you don’t get caught. But what the AA is saying is that having fixed speed cameras well signed and made visible will help make our roads safer.

So that was 13 years ago in 2011 and right now in 2024, the AA’s ideal outcome of the media campaign is to get the Minister of Transport Simeon Brown to make a public commitment to getting permanent speed cameras signed quickly – and he has just done that. That has got to be one of the most cost-effective commitments to road safety he has made to date.

The issue could be summed up like this: a small change in travel speed leads to a relatively large change in stopping distance, which makes for a much larger change in impact speed, which means a still larger change in impact energy, which gives a very large change in the probability of death or serious injury. It’s hard to argue with that.