Two new speed cameras on the Pacific Highway will begin to target speeding from this Friday June 27.
The new fixed cameras are located north of Hornsby, between Cowan and the Hawkesbury River.
“We know that increased speeds lead to an increased likelihood of a crash occurring, and higher impact speeds also lead to more severe injuries and greater chance of death,” said Ruth Graham, Acting Executive Director of Transport Safety.
“In the five years from 2019 to 2023, 70 crashes occurred on the Pacific Highway between Cowan and the Hawkesbury River Bridge. As a result of those crashes, sadly one person was killed and 48 people were seriously injured.”
The new cameras will operate in warning mode for one month. During this time, drivers and riders caught exceeding the speed limit by up to 30km/h will be sent a warning letter to encourage them to change their behaviour.
While warning letters will be issued to most motorists detected speeding, any driver who exceeds the speed limit by more than 30 km/h will be issued a court attendance notice, and these drivers face significant speeding fines.
At the end of the warning period, the cameras will be enforcing all offending drivers and penalties will apply.
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) pointed to a 2023 review of the NSW Automated Enforcement Camera Programs, which found big safety improvements. “Across all fixed speed camera locations, fatalities dropped by 76 per cent. Crashes where someone was killed or injured fell by 56 per cent. These figures compare the five years after the cameras were installed to the five years before they started operating.”
Independent Member for Hornsby, Nathan Tilbury addded, “The location selected for the speed camera, between the bridge over the M1 and the former Olivers Garage site, is an area that has seen many serious accidents in recent years.
TfNSW says revenue from speed camera fines generated through these new fixed cameras will go towards the Community Road Safety Fund to deliver targeted road safety initiatives in NSW.