Speed camera tax grab hits your region (Stats available online)

The Government stands to make millions of dollars in extra revenue by lowering the speed camera tolerance level from 10 km/h to 5 km/h, and introducing hidden cameras, National said today releasing official figures on the number of tickets issued.

Transport Minister Paul Swain suggested lowering the tolerance and bringing in hidden cameras last month. "This policy is more about collecting revenue than saving lives," says National Police Spokesman Tony Ryall.

"There is absolutely no evidence that increasing the number of speed camera fines will make our roads safer. All the Government will do is convict many thousands of the country's safest drivers, for no purpose other than extra tax.

"We are releasing today official figures from the New Zealand Police on how many speed camera tickets were issued by each speed camera site around the country. This is the first time this information has ever been released.

"The vast majority of tickets are issued to people driving 10-15 km/h over the speed limit. Reducing the tolerance to only 5 km/h over the speed limit will see tens of thousands of extra tickets issued to what research says are the safest drivers.

"The current government scrapped a hidden speed camera trial in Waikato/Bay of Plenty in 2000 stating that hidden cameras hadn't reduced speed or saved lives.

"Official Budget documents show that the Government has instructed the Police to target issuing 30% more speeding tickets this year.

"Last Friday an Aucklander's car was broken into but the Police said they were too busy to attend. A few hours later they weren't so busy to give that man a speeding ticket.

"Earlier in the week a Bay of Plenty couple followed a youth who they had seen stealing equipment from their garage. The Police said it was not a priority for them to attend. But the next day an officer gave the husband a substantial instant fine because his drivers' license had expired the day before.

"The goodwill of law abiding citizens towards the Police is evaporating rapidly, and the Government's aggressive speed camera policy is a big part of the problem. Virtually all the increase in sworn officers over the past two years has gone into traffic patrols.

"Every minute of every day a New Zealand motorist gets a speed camera ticket. National is telling the Government that that is enough," said Mr Ryall.

See regional speed camera statistics are at