Victoria gets 32 new speed and red light cameras

The first eight of the speed and red light cameras will be switched on from tomorrow.

Victorian Police Minister, Peter Ryan, said that the decision was made to switch the cameras on (which were installed, but not activated by the previous government) following a favourable Auditor-General report. The report released by Victoria's Auditor-General claimed that speed cameras (fixed and mobile) were not primarily used to raise revenue in Victoria.

The report failed to show a direct correlation between speed cameras and the reduction in road toll and also made no mention of the effect of vehicle safety improvements since the speed camera program's implementation. These improvements include, but are not limited to ABS, ESP, crumple zones, vehicle material changes, additional airbags and advanced car safety systems.

Revenue from speeding drivers and red-light runners reaped almost $500million for the Victorian Government in the previous financial year and despite a record increase in revenue and number of fixed and mobile speed cameras, Victoria's road toll has plateaued over recent years.

80% of drivers nabbed by Victorian mobile and fixed speed cameras last financial year were travelling under 10km/h over the prescribed speed limit.

The full list of new speed and red light cameras is listed below (those in bold will be switched on from tomorrow):

- Ballarat Rd at Ashley St, Maidstone
- Barkly St at Carlisle St, St Kilda
- Canterbury Rd at Colchester Rd, Kilsyth South
- Cemetery Rd West at Royal Parade, Parkville
- City Rd at Montague St, Sth Melbourne
- Dandenong Rd at Warrigal Rd, Malvern East
- Dandenong Rd at Clayton Rd at Oakleigh East
- Denmark St at Barkers Rd, Kew
- Exhibition St at Victoria St, Melbourne
- Fitzroy St at Lakeside Drive, St Kilda
- Heatherton Rd at Monash Fwy, Doveton
- Hoddle St at Wellington Pde, East Melbourne
- Hoddle St at Johnston St, Collingwood
- Kings Rd at Melton Hwy, Taylors Lakes
- Mahoneys Rd at High St, Thomastown
- Maribyrnong Rd at Mt Alexander Rd, Moonee Ponds
- Maroondah Hwy at Springvale Rd, Nunawading
- Nicholson St at Princes St, Carlton
- Princes Hwy at Sth Gippsland Fwy, Eumemmerring
- Princes Hwy at Elonera Rd, Noble Park North
- Prospect Hill Rd at Burke Rd, Camberwell
- Punt Rd at High St, Prahran
- Punt Rd at Toorak Rd, South Yarra
- Raglan Pde at Mahoneys Rd, Warrnambool
- South Gippsland Hwy at Thompsons Rd, Cranbourne North
- Springvale Rd at Lower Dandenong Rd at Braeside
- St Kilda Rd at Kings Way, Melbourne
- Stud Rd at Heatherton Rd, Dandenong
- Warrigal Rd at North Rd, Oakleigh
- Warrigal Rd at Centre Dandenong Rd, Cheltenham
- Warrigal Rd at Batesford Rd at Chadstone
- Williamsons Rd at Doncaster Rd, Doncaster

What are your thoughts on the speed camera debate? Should the government be spending speed camera revenue on improving driver education, or should speed camera numbers be increased and tolerances reduced further? Do you still have confidence in the speed camera program with recent reports of their illegal use?