All mobile speed camera vehicles in NSW are now equipped to carry portable warning signs, making New South Wales’ mobile speed camera program one of the most visible and transparent in Australia and the world.
This comes after a sustained campaign to force the former government to reverse its previous decision to remove warning signs from mobile speed cameras back in 2020.
The entire vehicle fleet has now been modified to safely carry the signs, which must be displayed during enforcement.
While all sessions have had the signage in place since 1 January, vehicles have been modified on a rolling basis over the last five months.
The addition of two portable signs placed on approach to every mobile speed camera vehicle, and one after, is a clear visual cue to motorists to make sure they are sticking to the speed limit and a reminder to drivers to slow down.
As well as these signs, all mobile speed camera vehicles also have a retractable rooftop sign which operates when a session is underway and other livery on the cars, clearly identifying what they are.
On 19 November 2020, the former government announced changes to NSW’s mobile speed camera program, scrapping warning signs around mobile speed cameras.
A sharp increase in fines followed. In 2021 the former government backflipped and decided to partially re-introduce the signs, but only on top of the speed camera vehicles, meaning drivers had no advance warning. They also installed 1000 permanent general warning signs.
In October 2022, the former Government then announced signs would be back before and after the vehicle. The old warning signs were too big for the new cars and a retrofit was required.
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NSW Premier, Chris Minns said:
“I’ve always said I would rather people slow down in the first place then receive a fine in the mail two weeks after they committed the offence.”
“It became a situation where this program was collecting more from low range speeding fines in one month then they did in the previous 12 months.”
“We want drivers to slow down, we don’t want people speeding in the first place. And now my government has ensured an end to the secrecy, with motorists having clear warning signs ahead of any speed cameras, to remind them to slow down.”
NSW Minister for Roads, John Graham said:
“This is finally the end of a two and a half year speed camera warning sign debacle.”
“The former government removed these warning signs without any consultation. As a result the community was rightly upset.”
“It took three policy backflips before the former Government came to the same view as the community and accepted that these cameras should have warning signs returned.”
“The former government’s triple backflip was so poorly executed that it has taken until now to finish the job. One of the reasons for that delay is that the old warning signs were too big for the new camera cars.”
