Speed cameras absent from accident blackspots

By STUART DYE and WAYNE THOMPSON


Not one of the country's worst road crash blackspots has a speed camera, the Herald can reveal.

The 10 most dangerous spots in New Zealand have between them seen 84 horrific crashes and claimed 11 lives in the last four years.

But none of the sites, which range from Auckland to Wellington and Waitakere to Christchurch, has a permanent speed camera.

Land Transport Safety Authority officials maintain that most accidents at these sites are caused by failure to give way, not speeding.

However, four of the sites have been mobile speed camera spots, they say.

Tony Ryall, the National Party's police spokesman, said the Government was more interested in gathering revenue than catching speedsters.

Despite a record number of speeding tickets issued this year, the road toll was at its highest since 2000, he said.

"Speed cameras have a role as a deterrent - they slow people down.

"But until they are used at the crash blackspots, the public will continue to see them as a way of bringing in cash," said Mr Ryall.

The LTSA has several different lists of accident blackspots based on varying criteria, such as crashes per kilometre and the volume of traffic.

This list refers to sites with the worst crash history in terms of fatal or serious injury accidents since 1998.

It includes the intersection of Fanshawe and Beaumont Sts in Auckland, with six serious injuries and one death; the State Highway 2 intersection with Te Tumu Rd in western Bay of Plenty, which has claimed four lives and seen two serious injuries; and the intersection of Taranaki St and Courtenay Place in Wellington, with five serious injuries.

"If this Government was focused on saving lives and road safety, speed cameras would be placed at these spots," said Mr Ryall.

Transport Minister Paul Swain said the placing of cameras was an operational matter between police and the LTSA, who analysed crash sites.

Placements so far had the desired effect of cutting accident rates dramatically.

Mr Swain said the Government's move this month to let police use speed cameras "anytime, anywhere" gave flexibility to shift the cameras quickly to spots with a rising accident rate.

He expected that police officials would raise the issue of buying more cameras when he met them in the New Year to talk about the flexible policy.

Inspector John Kelly, of the commissioner's road policing office, said permanent cameras cost $30,000 to $40,000 to install.

They were placed where a history of crashes related to speed.

Andy Knackstedt, LTSA spokesman, said failure to give way contributed to 23 per cent of crashes at urban intersections.

"They are not speeding, so it would not make sense to have speed cameras there."

Automobile Association northern manager Stephen Selwood said the notorious blackspots were on busy roads and should justify the expense of replacing intersections with bridges.