Sydney motorists paying dearly
FIRST ON 7: While speed cameras across Sydney are ringing up millions, one is streets ahead when it comes to being the top earner.
A 7News investigation has found tens of thousands of drivers are being caught by just a few cameras, and they're paying dearly.
If you owned a speed camera it would be like winning the lottery, not once, but every single year.
The top 20 caught out a staggering 162,775 drivers last year, raking in $30 million dollars in fines.
The Shadow Transport Minister, Ryan Park, says the State Government is hooked on speed cameras.
"People don't mind getting caught by a police person they think that's fair," Mr Park said.
"What they don't like is getting caught by mobile and fixed cameras that are about revunue raising, not road safety."
Each one of the top 20 earned more than $800,000, but the top cameras raked in much more.
The westbound camera on Cleveland Street at Moore Park hauled in $1.9 million from 13,000 fines. Across the road the eastbound machine took $2 million.
But the daddy of them all, the state's super snapper, is northbound on the Eastern Distributor; it caught more than 16,000 drivers, raking in $3.4 million.
In New South Wales, drivers are supposed to be warned about upcoming cameras, but some are less obvious than others.
Red light cameras are good earners too; just three, Woodville Rd Granville, Old South Head Road at Bondi Junction and Pittwater Road Dee Why hauled in $7.3 million.
The NRMA's spokesman, Peter Khoury, has a message for Government.
"Use the cameras strategically, take the money put more police on the road because ultimately that's the best way to bring down the road toll," Mr Khoury said.
