Secrets of speed cameras revealed
From Unknown
By Ellen Whinnett
August 04, 2005
MOBILE speed camera readings
can be distorted by metal signs, fences, walls and even Australia
Post letter boxes, according to a secret police document.
The potential flaws in the controversial
cameras -- which took $104 million in speeding fines from Victorian
motorists last year -- are detailed in a confidential police rule
book.
The 50-page Speed Camera Policy and Operations
Manual also identifies a major operational weakness in the cameras,
which monitor multi-lane roads.
But for road safety reasons the Herald
Sun has chosen not to give details of this gap.
Police have fought to keep the April
2004 manual a secret.
However a copy obtained by the Herald
Sun shows:
CAMERAS are not to be set up on bends.
OPERATORS must not camouflage or disguise
the cameras in a way that could lead to a public perception of "sly
operations".
CAMERAS can be used on a downhill road
only if the road has a significant history of speed-related accidents.
TOLERANCE levels, where motorists can
travel over the speed limit without being fined, are flexible.
POLICE book so many people to reinforce
the message that it is not worth the risk to speed.
THE locations of fixed speed cameras
are chosen to maximise the number of people who can be caught speeding.
CAMERAS must not be set up within 200m
of a change to the speed zone.
CAMERAS can be used within 200m of a
change to the zone in a children's crossing area or a school zone
with prior approval of senior police.
Former speed camera operator Graeme Marr
will use a court hearing in Melbourne today to highlight his concerns
about radar beams bouncing off reflective objects and giving false
readings.
Mr Marr will tell the court that motorists
had lost their licences because of wrongly issued speeding fines.
Police Minister Tim Holding said processes
were in place to ensure Victorian motorists were not unfairly fined
or prosecuted.
"Before taking photographs, operators
must ensure there are no reflective objects or surfaces in the camera
beam," he said.
"The simple presence of a reflective
object or surface within the speed camera photograph itself does not
render the camera's reading incorrect."
Mr Holding said that in coming months
the Government would release the existing speed camera criteria.
Transport Accident Commission figures
show that 699,638 speeding offences were caught on camera last financial
year, generating $104 million for the State Government.
The manual shows that booking a large
number of people is a key part in the speed camera program.
"(The philosophy) . . . aims to
create a broad community perception through general and specific deterrents
that the chance of detection is so high that speeding is not worth
the risk," the policy states.
Operators are told they must not hide
cameras.
"To maintain community confidence
in the speed camera initiative, it is important for the operational
use of the devices to be seen as fair and reasonable," the policy
states.
"Under no circumstances are speed
camera vehicles, tripods or flash units to be disguised by signs,
logos, breakdown of vehicle (eg: boot open or spare wheel jack visible,
etc,), tree branches, lamp posts, dust bins or any other means that
would generate public perceptions of sly operations."
The State Opposition has taken the case
to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, arguing police
should have released the protocols under Freedom of Information laws.
The document shows that specific restrictions
are placed on the mobile speed cameras to address problems with reflective
objects corrupting speed readings.
The rule book states cameras should not
be set up on or near an overpass, or facing an elevated adjacent road
that may carry traffic past the extended speed camera radar beam.
Other sources of reflection are pole-mounted
electricity supply transformers, metal signs such as house-for-sale
or auction signs and Armco road barriers.
Metal bus stop shelters, public telephone
booths, Australia Post letter-boxes, sheet metal garage doors, fences,
factory walls and closely spaced iron picket fences are all listed
as possible reflectors capable of distorting speed readings.
The document also confirms widespread
speculation that tolerance levels are a moveable figure.
Tolerance levels are set by law at 2km/h
for fixed cameras and 3km/h for mobile cameras.
But the limit at which police started issuing tickets has been a secret.
The policy manual states threshold speeds
will be chosen depending on the number of complaints about speeding
and "ongoing evaluation of road trauma levels".
