The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has revealed it’s invested in seven cameras mounted on roadside trailers and 32 vehicle-mounted cameras that automatically detect the number plates of passing heavy vehicles.
The regulator says its Mobile Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras are deployed in various locations within the busiest freight routes to maximise heavy vehicle monitoring.
As they’re mobile, they can be moved from site to site and are currently in use in South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland, with New South Wales to follow shortly.
According to the NHVR, the cameras are used to “better detect and interrupt potentially high-risk behaviour and unsafe practices by heavy vehicles on our roads, while increasing efficiency for compliant drivers and overall, making Australia’s roads safer.”
Along with the trailer and vehicle mounted cameras, the NHVR also has one drone, which is currently used in South Australia and Queensland.
The NHVR says that while fines will not be issued directly from camera capture, an NHVR safety and compliance officer may intercept a heavy vehicle at a suitable location or undertake follow-up investigations and compliance activity.
The cameras only detect the number plates of passing heavy vehicles and do not capture data for light vehicles.
“The cameras are positioned in a way to avoid the driver of the vehicle being captured or able to be identified, in accordance with privacy legislation,” said the NHVR.
“Footage is retained in a secure data system and will be used by the NHVR to develop and inform on-road activities to increase road safety.
“The NHVR will retain the footage in accordance with the record retention requirements of each state in which it operates. All footage will be stored, accessed, and disposed of in accordance with the privacy and record keeping legislation of each state where the devices are being operated.”