West Gate Bridge speed camera results for October

[EDManual]

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/com...55E661,00.html

West Gate our Golden Gate of speed fines
Tanya Giles
11nov05

ALMOST 2000 drivers have been booked in one month on the West Gate Bridge – Victoria's newest speed trap. The cameras caught speedsters at a rate of more than 60 a day during October, the first month of operation.

The windfall has turned the 2.5km span into the Bracks Government's Golden Gate bridge. More than $330,000 in fines were handed out in October.
Unless drivers slow down, the Government will collect $4 million a year from the bridge.

Speed cameras began snapping West Gate drivers on October 1.

Figures obtained by the Herald Sun show 1983 drivers were booked over the following four weeks by four speed cameras operating in both directions on the bridge.

Most were travelling less than 10km/h over the speed limit.

Twenty-two drivers lost their licences automatically for driving at excessive speeds.

One was clocked driving dangerously at more than 115km/h – 35km/h over the limit.

Two drivers were doing as little as 75km/h, but lost their licences because the variable speed limit was down to 40km/h.

The speed limit is normally 80km/h, but can be as low as 40km/h depending on weather conditions or traffic disruptions.

The three drivers were all fined $377 and automatically lost their licences for six months.

Another 19 drivers lost their licences for a month for travelling between 25km/h and 34km/h over the speed limit.

The West Gate Bridge is one of Melbourne's worst accident black spots.

In one horrific pile-up this year, a 64-year-old man died when a truck ran over his car, causing both vehicles to burst into flames.

Eight other people were injured, including a four-year-old boy.

Since 2000, more than 89 people have been injured in accidents on the West Gate Bridge.

Twenty three suffered life-threatening injuries.

Police Minister Tim Holding said far too many drivers were risking their lives by speeding.

"They are placing themselves and their passengers at risk of death or serious injury," Mr Holding said.

"It is vital these motorists heed the road safety message and slow down."

Assistant Commissioner Bob Hastings said in the past five years there had been 523 accidents on the West Gate Bridge stretch, from the Burnley Tunnel to the Western Ring Rd.

Ten people were killed, 154 seriously injured and another 578 suffered minor injuries.

Mr Hastings said heavy traffic and weather, especially wind, were contributing factors, but speed was a serious concern.

"While many people drive responsibly, there is an element that take risks and put us all in danger," he said.

Speeding fine data obtained by the Herald Sun shows 1092 drivers were booked on the bridge in October for travelling less than 10km/h over the limit.

They copped fines of $131 and lost one demerit point each.

Of those, 980 were nabbed when the limit was 80km/h; 108 when the maximum was 60km/h; and four when the limit was 40km/h.

Another 869 drivers were caught driving between 10km/h and 24km/h over the limit. They copped $210 fines and three demerit points.

Cameras were installed on the bridge more than two years ago but were not switched on until last month because faults with similar cameras on the Western Ring Road were discovered in November 2003.

Mr Holding said cars caught speeding on the West Gate Bridge would be double-checked to protect them against false readings.

Eight new fixed speed cameras on Geelong Rd are due to start operating before the end of the year.

Overall, Victorians paid more than $247 million in speeding fines to Government coffers in 2004-05.

The figure is expected to rise to $324 million this financial year, according to Budget papers.

The road toll stands at 305, eight more than the same time last year.

[Walkinshaw]

when will people learn its safer to move at the same speed as the rest of the traffic. Doing 60kmh when the rest of the traffic is doing 72-73kmh is asking to be hit.

oh well. Who is really supprised?

[EDManual]

Notice there they mention deaths on the bridge, when I dont think there has been even 1 in the last 5 years, in fact has there ever been 1?!! Right on the bridge I mean, where the cameras are.

The truck running over a car was about 10km away, and as if that had anything to do with speeding.... (Speed of truck was obviously too fast for him to stop, but is that speeding?, he may have been doing 70?Just he wasnt watching the road in front.)

[niko]

you think those speeds are bad, i was driving to work one day, and 2 "highperformance" rice mobiles flew by at unbeleivable speeds, a rex and a jap spec type r

they were like jets, weaving through traffic.

[EDManual]

Just looking at an old article about budget projections of Victorian speed revenue : They are nearly where they want to be. (the 120y doing 150kmh faults in late 2003 put a spanner in the works, haha)



Speed cameras for West Gate Bridge
April 1 2003
By Andrew Heasley
Transport Reporter





Permanent speed cameras will be installed on the West Gate Bridge.

The State Government yesterday awarded a $1.6 million contract to traffic camera company Poltech to install eight cameras on the bridge by winter.

About 60 permanent speed cameras are already installed on major Melbourne roads, including about 20 on the Monash Freeway, 16 on the Western Ring Road and 19 on Geelong Road.

The cameras operate continuously, taking colour and infrared digital pictures of speeding motorists. They will be fixed to posts in the centre of the bridge and work in conjunction with digital variable speed limit signs that will be installed.

The system is similar to that in City Link tunnels. It will allow speed limits to be set and enforced as conditions on the bridge change.



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RACV public policy manager Ken Ogden said he did not know that speeding was a problem on the bridge. He said police should justify why it was necessary to have speed cameras at particular sites.

Budget estimates show the number of speeding tickets issued is expected to increase from 903,000 last financial year to 1.7 million this year. Revenue from fines is predicted to rise to $336 million, from $182 million.

More than 150,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day. Between July 1996 and June 2001 there were 55 crashes on the bridge after which vehicle occupants required admission to hospital, a VicRoads spokeswoman said.

[NAK302]

Originally Posted by niko

you think those speeds are bad, i was driving to work one day, and 2 "highperformance" rice mobiles flew by at unbeleivable speeds, a rex and a jap spec type r

they were like jets, weaving through traffic.

when i lived in Brissy i saw something similar happening along kessels road. lets just say the Honda was a bit lower parked under the semi trailer. i drove past laughing my head off

[Polyal]

whats worse is that people keep getting done on that bridge!! they ahve been there for ages, and when they were not working I still stayed at the speed limit.

I have no issues with cameras on the bridge, actually its on place where they should be. There mightn't have been a fatality on it yet, but if the speed isn't checked it could turn into one very very nasty inncident!

dont get me started with the ones on geelong road though....

[Des]

Originally Posted by EDManual

Overall, Victorians paid more than $247 million in speeding fines to Government coffers in 2004-05.

The figure is expected to rise to $324 million this financial year, according to Budget papers.

Anyone still think speed cameras aren't about boosting the coffers? If they really worked then the returns would be diminishing, not increasing. When will Joe Public wake up?

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Des

Anyone still think speed cameras aren't about boosting the coffers? If they really worked then the returns would be diminishing, not increasing. When will Joe Public wake up?

My question is when are they going to use this money to fix the roads and highways.

[gozza]

no they will use it to research more effective ways to catch speeding motorists...ie gps systems that automatically debit you bank as soon as you speed

[LUXO_8]

Originally Posted by Polyal

I have no issues with cameras on the bridge, actually its on place where they should be. There mightn't have been a fatality on it yet, but if the speed isn't checked it could turn into one very very nasty inncident!
.

but thats the thing, there was a fatality on it, just this year.....

[EDManual]

but there wasnt, it was well after it...they say there was, but that is part of the police and government lies....

[K_Man]

I dont see fixed cameras as revenue raisers, the public knows they are there, so just dont speed on the bridge. Simple as that. Fixed cameras in accident blackspots that are properly signed are the true safety cameras, it's the rent-a-plod hiding on the side of the road randomly that we should be fighting. Which reminds me, i gotta paint up some signs for when the next one props his *** on the main road near here.