By Catherine Hubbard of 
Smart cameras that will detect when drivers are using cellphones will soon be an increasing fixture on our roads as Waka Kotahi takes over the operation of safety cameras from police. (file image) Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
Numbers of speed cameras are set to quadruple as NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) takes over their operations from police, the transport agency has said.
Director of regional relationships Emma Speight said there were currently under 200 "safety" cameras on the roads, but the agency was "looking at going to 800", in response to questions at the joint Nelson Tasman regional transport committee.
Speight said the figure of 800 would be moved to "over a number of years".
NZTA is calling them "safety cameras" in a Cabinet-ordered attempt "to shift the public away from perceptions that safety cameras are an enforcement, revenue-gathering tool".
"This is an area in which we are very interested in your views," Speight told councillors.
"We can certainly start putting them onto state highways in this region if you'd like them in particular locations."
At present, police operate safety cameras in New Zealand. However, responsibility for is being transferred to NZTA.
The agency has plans to augment both the number and the type of safety cameras, which will include point to point (or average speed safety cameras) red light, cameras that can detect mobile phone use and seatbelt usage, and static cameras.
At present, police operate safety cameras in New Zealand. However, responsibility for is being transferred to NZTA. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Average speed safety cameras work by calculating vehicle speed across the length of a road between two or more cameras. The time taken for a vehicle to travel between the cameras is measured, and the average speed calculated.
The agency is already rolling out point to point cameras on six Auckland roads, NZTA announced in October.
A spokesperson, in response to questions from Stuff, said a formal handover had not yet occurred, and was expected to take place from around mid-2024.
Safety cameras, Speight said, were "proved to reduce the number of people being killed and seriously injured on our roads".
New Zealand had the lowest number of safety cameras per capita, and was "in the bottom third of the OECD" for road deaths.
Nelson Mayor Nick Smith said there would be strong community support for cameras if they were focused on safety, and not revenue gathering.
Nelson Mayor Nick Smith said the community would back the installation of safety cameras, provided they were focused on safety and not revenue gathering. Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas
Smith said he would like to see the NZTA and council staff work on sections with black spots and accidents, where speed needed to be kept under control.
However, the "temptation" for agencies under revenue pressure, was to "clip" lots of people on main highways in spots with large volumes of traffic where there wasn't a substantive safety issue, he said.
According to the agency's website, it is currently "establishing the systems, processes and capability to enable functionality" to transfer safety camera operations.
While it will also process offences for safety cameras operated by other road controlling authorities (RCAs), police will still have an enforcement role in radar and laser detection.
Speight said point to point cameras were already being used in Auckland, and around the globe, and were very effective at maintaining safe speeds that were signposted.
"In areas where you're seeing significant growth, and we're still getting crashes that are causing harm ... they can be really useful."
A six-month trial of mobile phone and seatbelt detection safety cameras was run across three locations in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland last year. (file image) Photo: Photo / 123RF
The use of average speed cameras in New Zealand has been enabled by the recent passing of the Land Transport (Road Safety) Amendment Act into legislation.
A six-month trial of mobile phone and seatbelt detection safety cameras was run across three locations in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland last year.
Data from the trial shows that of 12,870,563 vehicles, 199,515 mobile phone offences were recorded, and 43,444 seatbelt offences were detected.
According to the agency's website, the use of safety cameras to enforce mobile phone and seatbelt offences is currently not permitted under the Land Transport Act 1998, and the Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport is exploring options to enable their use.
- This story was first published by Stuff.
