A $10 million funding boost to potentially double the number speed cameras will be viewed cynically by the public as a cash grab, a road safety expert says.
The extra funding, announced today as part of the Government's National Land Transport Programme, will be set aside within the road policing budget over the next three years.
New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) spokesman Andy Knackstedt said the next step was for police present a business case to the NZTA which would detail how the cameras would be used and how they would target areas of risk to reduce crashes.
Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges said 25 more speed cameras could be bought for about $4m - which means the extra $10m could potentially double the number of cameras from the 55 currently in use.
Among the options to be considered were point-to-point cameras - a newer technology which was already in use in the UK.
Mr Bridges told Radio New Zealand today that speed cameras were about saving lives rather than raising revenue.
Police figures show there were some 2.3 million speed camera tickets issued from 2008 until the end of May this year. The revenue raised over that period totals $136.8m, with some $46.2m in unpaid fines outstanding.
Former police officer Hamish Piercy, director of independent crash analysis company Longford Consulting, said there would be a "high degree of cynicism from the general public" about the extra cameras.
"It will have more of an impact on increasing the fines and revenue raised versus speed reduction. I don't think, to be honest, we've seen the level of speed reduction from speed cameras that we were promised from the original introduction, in relation to crashes particularly," he told APNZ.
"As far as cameras go they do have their use, but I can see that the public will certainly argue that it's just an increase in revenue."
Mr Piercy said because there was a delay between a speeder getting caught and receiving an infringement notice, the deterrent effect was potentially a lot less than actively stopping speeding drivers.
The "halo effect" of speed cameras meant drivers slowed down around them, but could increase speeds again when out of range.
"There's got to be a balanced approach when it comes to it. It's ok that they're looking at the higher speeds and potentially with the holiday weekend speeds, the lower tolerance. But they also have to look at the slower driver as well, and the effect on the traffic flow and the danger that those drivers present to other motorists."
A police spokesman said investing in more technology, including speed cameras, was part of the Government's Safer Journeys strategy - but such investment was dependent on demonstrating its effectiveness and efficiency.
Police expect to present a business case to NZTA sometime later this year.
"As this has not yet been completed, police aren't in a position to comment on the specifics of how the money may be invested in speed camera technology, including where, how or what type of cameras may be used.
"What we do know is that speed cameras have proven effective around the world in reducing average mean speeds and serious and fatal crashes. It is just one of a range of initiatives that road safety sector agencies are considering using more widely as part of the Safer Journeys strategy to reduce crashes on our roads."
Road safety charity Brake spokeswoman Caroline Perry said there was a huge amount of international evidence that showed cameras were effective at cutting the number of casualties and slowing traffic in areas where they were placed.
She called for revenue from cameras to be ring-fenced for road safety measures, particularly those that supported vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists, such as safe cycle and walking routes.
