Speed Detection

Adjourned debate on motion of Mr Wingard:

That this house establish a select committee to inquire into and report upon—

(a) the operation of speed cameras and speed detection devices in South Australia;

(b) the relationship between the location of speed cameras and the incidence of road accidents;

(c) the impact of constantly changing speed limits and the effectiveness of speed limit signage;

(d) the effectiveness and appropriateness of current penalties for speeding offences, including a review of fines imposed;

(e) the operation of the Community Road Safety Fund; and

(f) any related matters.

(Continued from 25 March 2015.)

Mr SPEIRS (Bright) (11:55): I return to my remarks on this item regarding speed cameras which we last spoke about at the end of March. As I was saying in my previous comments, I actually question whether or not there is any real policy framework which attempts to establish the reasoning behind the installation of a speed camera or a red-light camera. There is only one fixed camera in my electorate and that is at the intersection of Brighton Road and Sturt Road, actually just a few metres from my electorate office, and it is probably in a fair position—I have no issue with it. The area has no green arrow turn from Brighton Road into Sturt Road, so it is imperative for road safety that people are not tempted to run the red light when a vehicle is taking the opportunity of the change of lights to turn into Sturt Road. In my view, that fixed camera is a useful safety precaution.

However, we see time and time again examples of safety cameras and traffic patrolling which may not necessarily be connected with road safety but instead might be more to do with revenue-raising. As members of parliament, when we identify an area which might benefit from a red-light camera being installed to improve local community safety, I have found first-hand that it is quite difficult to get anything to happen. Recently I was approached by the year 1/2 students of Seacliff Primary School, and I want to read the letter that they sent me:

Dear Mr Speirs

Yesterday we had a big problem at our school traffic lights and it was very scary. The lights did not work when we headed to go home and fast trucks kept coming down the hill and so we were stuck. We rang the police but they did not come. Our teachers had to help us across the road but it was not safe for them. We need cameras to stop speeding trucks at our school crossing. They are always speeding. Come and have a look. Why do some schools have cameras and we don't? Brighton Road is very busy. Can you please help us to get some cameras so that we can always be safer.

Love from Room 5 Year 1/2 children, Seacliff Primary School

So, the students at Seacliff Primary School have written to their local member, and I took Jacinta Day, the chair of the governing council, along to catch up with the Minister for Road Safety to discuss whether this was actually an area where we could get a red-light fixed camera installed.

Unfortunately I had a very bizarre meeting with the minister. I was grateful that he agreed to meet but he was not able to tell us the decision-making process around the installation of one of these cameras, and we left quite confused. The minister agreed to go to Seacliff Primary School, although I do not think he has done that yet, to observe the situation.

The school is at the bottom of a very steep hill where the road speed changes. I am not sure necessarily if a red-light camera there would make the intersection or the crossing safer, but what I do think it would do is create more caution for drivers moving through that area at the bottom of the hill and raise awareness that there is a school crossing on a very busy road—a road that has 45,000 vehicle movements a day. I will continue to lobby on behalf of the students of Seacliff Primary School and hope that the government will start to listen.

We have seen speed cameras appear outside schools on a regular basis in marginal government-held seats. I know there is one outside Richmond Primary School, there is one outside Seaview High School, and there is also one outside Black Forest Primary School on South Road—all within marginal government-held seats. There is no real difference between having red-light cameras outside those schools and Seacliff Primary School and Brighton Primary Schools—two schools which, I think, are in greater need.

What we need is a policy framework in the public domain outlining very clearly the decision-making process when it comes to installing one of these cameras. I do not think we have that in the public domain at the moment; we have confusion between revenue raising and legitimate road safety measures, and the community would benefit significantly from being able to know the reasons behind the installation of speed cameras. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.