A new average speed camera is being installed on the M4 motorway in New South Wales this month – specifically targeting heavy vehicles.
The new length is between Eastern Creek to South Penrith with the camera beginning operation from the February 28, 2025.
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) said that once operational, the new cameras will operate in warning mode for a minimum of two months, during which time heavy vehicle drivers caught speeding at 30km or less over the speed limit will be sent a warning letter to encourage them to change their behaviour.
Heavy vehicle drivers caught speeding at more than 30km/h over the speed limit will receive fines and demerit points as usual.
At the end of the warning letter period, offending heavy vehicle drivers will be sent fines and demerit points.
Chadi Chalhoub, Executive Director of Transport Safety said the new cameras are part of the NSW Government’s commitment to continue the roll out of additional Average Speed Cameras lengths to improve road safety.
“We know that heavy vehicles make up only 2.9 per cent of vehicle registrations, and 8.3 per cent of kilometres travelled by NSW vehicles, however, they are involved in about 18 per cent of road fatalities,” Chalhoub said.
“Due to their size and mass, any crash involving a heavy vehicle is likely to be a more serious one and can often involve other road users in the crash.
Chalhoub continued, “Research shows that Average Speed Cameras dramatically reduce the number of serious crashes along a length of road. The most recent speed camera review found fatal and serious injury crashes fell by 42 per cent on average speed camera lengths.”
Average speed enforcement works by measuring the amount of time it takes a vehicle to drive between two points and then calculates the average speed of the vehicle. If the vehicle’s average speed exceeds the speed limit for the length of road, the driver will receive a penalty for speeding.
TfNSW says fines derived from the Average Speed Cameras will go into the Community Road Safety Fund to deliver targeted road safety initiatives in NSW.
The activation of this new Average Speed Camera length applies only to heavy vehicles and is not part of the trial of average speed cameras for light vehicles.
The trial involving light vehicles is expected to begin later this year and motorists will be notified prior.