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    © 2016 Australian Driver's Association

    News

    10 Nov 2017

    Are we any safer? Speed cameras rake in $1.1 billion

    By Paul Maric - caradvice.com.au

    Speed cameras have raked in a staggering $1.1 billion in Australia over a one year period in financial year 2017, and we can reveal the top three locations in each state.

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    The numbers come on the back of a staggering 217 per cent increase in deaths on NSW roads for November compared to the same period last year, and  a 15 per cent jump in the Victorian road toll last year.

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    It begs the question, are speed cameras working? Are the roads safer with our strict speeding laws? And what can be done to solve the issue?

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    Victoria led the charge on speed camera revenue, followed by Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and then Western Australia.

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    Victoria: $363.15 million

    • Warrigal Road and Batesford Road, Chadstone

    • Fitzroy Street and Lakeside Drive, St Kilda

    • Flinders Street and William Street, Melbourne

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    New South Wales: $193.92 million

    • Eastern Distributor, northbound, Darlinghurst

    • Cross City Tunnel, westbound, East Sydney

    • Botany Road, southbound, Rosebery

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    Queensland: $226 million

    • Legacy Way Tunnel, Brisbane

    • Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach

    • Pacific Motorway, Loganholme

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    South Australia: $174 million

    • South Eastern Freeway, Leawood Gardens

    • South Eastern Freeway, Crafers

    • Montague Road, Ingle Farm

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    Western Australia: $97 million

    • Roe Highway, Beckenham

    • Great Eastern Highway, Burlong

    • Graham Farmer Freeway, Burswood

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    Tasmania: Over $1 million

    • Brooker Highway, Rosetta

    • Tasman Highway, western side

    • Bass Highway, East Devonport

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    Across the country, revenue from speed cameras goes into a state roads fund to improve roads and tackle the road toll.

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    But how much of that revenue actually goes into better roads? If you’re in South Australia, it’s not a great deal. According to the 2015 South Australia Road Safety Annual Report, only $34 million of the total $81 million netted from speed cameras was put into fixing roads and making them safer.

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    Of the remaining $46.3 million, $3.3 million was put into purchasing and servicing speed cameras, $35.58 million into the road safety policing program, $5.5 million into research, advertising and policy advice, and $3.57 million into driver education programs, with the rest distributed amongst miscellaneous services. That means the fund was operating at a loss, presumably with the expectation of topping it up the following year with more speed camera revenue – which is what happened.

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