High-tech average speed cameras coming to Auckland motorways

Monday, 5 November 2018

Speed cameras that calculate a motorist's average speed are coming to two hazardous stretches of Auckland motorway.

Auckland's Waterview Tunnel and southern motorway will host point-to-point speed cameras in a 2019 trial. 

Proposed in May, the system determines the average speed a car is travelling along a stretch of road by snapping the registration at two separate points.

It then calculates the average speed using the time it took to cover the distance between.

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Police Minister Stuart Nash said the main difference between this system and other speed cameras was that motorists wouldn't be ticketed for exceeding the speed limit for just a few seconds.

'Tickets are only issued to drivers if their average speed, over the entire distance between the two cameras, exceeds the legal limit.'

Acting Associate Transport Minister James Shaw said the new cameras, along with the warning signs, would give people extra incentive to slow down on high-risk roads and avoid a ticket.

'Ultimately, we'd like to see more people slowing down and fewer tickets issued,' Shaw said.

He said the two sites were chosen because of their high risk environments. 

A crash at high speed in the constrained environment of the Waterview Tunnel could be 'potentially catastrophic', and the southern motorway around an 80 kmh work site, between the SH20/SH1 connection at Papakura, because speeding drivers put road workers' lives at risk.

'Drivers will have plenty of warning about the location of the average speed cameras and signs will alert drivers when they enter the average speed enforcement area,' Nash said.

'This will give people plenty of opportunity to slow down to a safe speed within the limit and help keep all road users safe.'

Average speed cameras have a track record of saving lives in Australia, the UK and Europe.

A UK study found fatal crashes on targeted roads reduced by 46 per cent in the three years after implementation.

AA principal Advisor Mark Stockdale said the cameras and warning signs helped drivers stick to the speed limit.

'Average speed cameras are used in many other countries so it makes sense for us to trial them here in New Zealand,'

He said a recent survey of AA Members found the majority supported the idea of average speed cameras.

'Overseas experience is that average speed cameras are better at keeping speeds down over wider areas than traditional cameras,' Stockdale said.

'Importantly, they also had much lower ticketing rates as they are focussed on catching people who are consistently above the limit. The majority of drivers who aim to stick to the limit but might accidentally go above it briefly will avoid a ticket.'

Road safety charity Brake also welcomed the announcement. 

Caroline Perry, Brake's NZ director, said average speed cameras were effective at reducing speeds, and more importantly, reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on roads where they were installed.

'Speeding drivers needlessly put themselves and others at risk. We need measures like these cameras to help ensure people are travelling at safe speeds, and to enforce the law for those who put lives at risk.'