Road safety on the Pacific Highway will be strengthened with the reinstallation of two speed cameras at Sandgate, helping to reduce speeding and keep motorists safe on one of the state’s busiest transport corridors.
The fixed cameras were removed three years ago during the upgrade of the Hexham Straight, between Newcastle Inner City Bypass and Hexham Bridge, and will be turned on from today.
The northbound camera has been reinstated where the previous camera was, and the southbound camera is now about 70 metres north from its original site to align with the completed road upgrade.
The cameras first enforced this stretch of road in 2003. During the five-year period prior to the 2003 installation there were 23 casualty crashes on the Pacific Highway at Sandgate, within 500 metres either side of the cameras. These crashes resulted in one fatality and 24 people being injured. Since the cameras were installed there have been no fatalities and a significant reduction in injuries in the vicinity of the cameras.
Transport for NSW’s Road Safety Regulation executive director Duncan Lucas said the return of the cameras would reinforce the importance of safe driving behaviour and help reduce the risk of serious crashes.
“While the cameras were removed during construction, the warning signs remained in place to remind motorists to slow down and drive safely for the benefit of everyone using the road,” Mr Lucas said.
“Speeding remains the leading factor involved in death and injuries on our roads, contributing to about 40 per cent of road fatalities.
“When the unexpected happens on the road – the speed that you’re travelling at matters. ‘just a bit over’ can be the difference between stopping safely and being involved in a crash.”
The new cameras will operate in warning mode for at least one month during which time drivers caught speeding will be sent a warning letter to encourage them to change their behaviour.
Fines and demerit points will be sent to offending drivers once the warning letter period has finished.