Work to start on roll out of 30 new speed cameras

11:34 am on 2 September 2017

Work is about to begin on putting up more than 30 new speed cameras around the country as the police look to cut down speeds at high crash areas.

A $10 million expansion programme will eventually put in place 56 fixed cameras at high risk sites throughout New Zealand. Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

The first pole will be put up on East Coast Road in the north Auckland suburb of Redvale next week, where the police say there have been many horrific crashes over the years.

It is among 33 that will be erected as part of a $10 million expansion programme announced in July 2013.

The national manager of road policing, Superintendent Steve Greally, said the cameras themselves wouldn't be mounted until next year with testing to be done before they start operating.

"We know from international experience that speed cameras do have an impact on slowing people down, particularly around the sphere of influence of the camera."

Mr Greally said it was not a money making exercise for the police.

"With the expansion programme we'd be delighted to issue zero fines - which costs us money and we don't get a cent of anyway.

"We're only interested in the impact they can have in encouraging people to slow down and get to their destination safely."

An AA spokesperson, Barney Irvine, said while it had taken awhile, it was better late than never.

"We think these cameras will have a really important impact, a huge amount of research has gone into the selection of these sites, these are parts of the network where the crash risk is highest and where we really need to bring speeds down."

The programme will eventually put in place 56 fixed cameras at high risk sites throughout New Zealand, with 15 already active.

"It's quite simple, if people drive at an appropriate and safe speed for the road and the conditions, they'll be in no danger of getting a ticket - or more importantly being involved in a crash."

Their locations of the new cameras will include: