A new camera in Northland is the first in the country with a warning sign. Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf
The government expects warning signs near fixed speed cameras will be fully installed by next June.
The previous government announced in 2019 that a new 'no surprises' approach to safety cameras would introduce warning signs in high-risk areas. The signs would notify motorists that a camera was nearby, and remind them to slow down.
Operation of the cameras was also set to transfer from police to the New Zealand Transport Agency - Waka Kotahi.
But RNZ reported last year that not a single sign had been installed since the 2019 announcement.
A trial on State Highway 1 between Kawakawa and Moerewa in Northland had been met with some local resistance, with complaints the initiative was about revenue gathering.
The camera is located next to State Highway 1 between Kawakawa and Moerewa. Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf
But Transport Minister Simeon Brown said speed cameras were not about raising revenue, but improving safety, and that was why the signs were necessary.
"Providing Kiwis with an opportunity to check their speed and slow down in high crash areas where speed cameras are located will avoid speeding tickets and the more tragic consequences of speeding," he said.
The camera between Kawakawa and Moerewa has now gone fully live, while a second camera in Auckland's Taupaki is scheduled to go live next month.
One hundred and six cameras will be transferred from police to NZTA between August 2024 and June 2025, and signs will also be installed for them.
Brown said the rollout would encourage drivers to check their speeds, which would improve road safety and avoid costly speeding tickets.
"Speed cameras are a critical tool to crack down on drivers who are breaking the law and putting other New Zealanders' lives at risk. While our government is directing investment toward road policing and enforcement to improve road safety, our focus is on improving safety outcomes, not fleecing drivers' pockets."
While the signs will be installed near static cameras, mobile speed cameras will not be sign-posted.
