Full-time Ruapehu speed camera sought

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 560, 1 November 1994, Page 1

Full-time Ruapehu speed camera sought

The Ruapehu District Council voted last Friday to support an application from the Officer Commanding Traffic (Wanganui District) Inspector Alex Campbell, to the Minister of Police for a speed camera and operator to be stationed permanently in the Ruapehu region. Inspector Campbell explained that at present only one speed camera is available to cover three districts of a "very large geographical" area involving very long travel times. The cost of a permanently-based speed camera and specialist operator would be approximately $140,000. Cr Bob Peck, who has been campaigning for extra police in Raetihi, wanted an assurance that this amount of money being proposed for a speed camera in the region would not be at the expense of an additional policeman. Inspector Campbell assured councillors that the question of additional policing would not be affected by the decision to operate a permanent speed camera as the funding came from two different sources: the police budget for staffing and from the Land Transport Authority for the speed camera equipment. He explained that speeding fines resulting from speed camera operations were all paid into the government's 'Consolidated Fund' and were not available to fund speed camera operations or purchases directly. Inspector Campbell went on to say that the introduction of speed cameras this year had led to very good results in terms of the general crime

rate which has dropped in the Ruapehu region by allowing police officers to spend more time on other aspects of policing, including traffic control. Why warnings? In reply to Cr June Baker's question: "Why tell people there's a speed camera operating (by putting up signs) so that speeding motorists can take their foot off the accelerator ... why not instead just set up speed cameras at random any where?" Inspector Campbell said he would agree but it was government policy to set up speed cameras in areas where there had been a history of accidents in order to warn motorists. Cr John Compton said that, as a volunteer fireman at Raetihi who has attended many road accidents, he would support the application for a speed camera in Ruapehu but asked if this would allow coverage at night aild out of normal working hours. ^ Cr Compton expressed concern at the number of heavy vehicles transiting the area at night. . Inspector Campbell said that the proposed speed camera would operate on a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week ®t a basis as speed has been a major cause of concern ^ in the District particularly during the ski season. I He said more attention will be ® ^ given to heavy vehicle checks and enforcement. Mon - Fri from 4pm