Questions raised over how Sydney drivers are fined

It’s no secret that NSW’s speed cameras are money-making machines, raking in almost $140 million in 2018.

However, serious questions are being raised over the way drivers are fined, with revelations many cameras show wild fluctuations on some of Sydney’s busiest roads.

The state government has moved to refute claims that the system is faulty and issuing fines in error.

Speaking at the western Sydney operations centre that controls speed cameras and red lights across the state, Transport NSW’s Roger Weeks rubbished suggestions of misconduct.

“It would be almost impossible,” he told 7News.

“We are monitoring our camera network 24 hours a day so if there is an issue we immediately turn the camera off.”

In the past year drivers have been fined a total of $139 million, but the figures include some anomalies.

For example, on Silverwater Road in Sydney’s west, one speed camera caught 84 drivers in August but only two in March.

Similarly, a red light camera in Granville snapped 381 fines in August but none in March.

“If we’re seeing huge discrepancies, it’s time a full audit is done on all speed cameras in NSW,” Shadow Treasurer Ryan Park urged.

Transport NSW insists there is a simple explanation for the varying figures, attributing changes in numbers to roadworks or maintenance.

While existing cameras are coming under fire, the government introduced mobile phone detection cameras on the M4 and on Anzac Parade city bound on Monday.