No fixed speed cameras are operating in the South Island, it has been revealed, as the nationwide rollout of next-generation cameras is carried out at a far slower pace than originally promised.
Police last week announced three more next-generation speed cameras would be installed in sites in Auckland and Northland.
National road policing operations manager Inspector Peter McKennie confirmed no speed cameras were operating in the Southern district — the area covering Otago and Southland — or the Canterbury and Tasman districts.
Dunedin’s last speed camera ceased operating in March.
Insp McKennie said police continued to "undertake safer speed enforcement through other measures such as mobile cameras, officer patrols and targeted operations".
No plans for the installation of new cameras in the Southern district have been confirmed.
The first of the digital cameras, which capture speeding motorists across multiple lanes and in both directions, was installed near Wellington and became operational in July 2014.
There are now 12 next-generation cameras operating in Wellington and Auckland.
In 2014, police said another 44 sites would be identified by the end of last year.
About 660 sites around New Zealand were identified as high-risk and appropriate for the next-generation cameras.
Police said late last year a review of those sites would be completed by the end of February this year and the next sites would be identified then.
However, that now looks likely to be at least six months away.
Insp McKennie said the assessment would "likely" be completed "around January 2017".
When asked about plans to install new cameras in the Southern district, Insp McKennie said he could not discuss the matter until police assessments were completed.
"Until the assessment process is complete, it wouldn’t be appropriate to disclose the potential sites being considered," he said.
It was unclear what had caused the delays in the rollout.In an emailed response to questions from the Otago Daily Times, Insp McKennie did not directly address whether police were concerned a potential deterrent against speeding drivers was lost while no fixed cameras were in place in the district.
"Static cameras are just one of the tools available to police to enforce safe speeds," he said.
"Police also use a range of other tools and tactics to influence safer driver behaviour on the roads and reduce deaths and injuries."
