Government to hire consultants on speed cameras

The Government is to appoint a firm of consultants to advise the Department of Justice on the outsourcing of privatised speed cameras later this year. The Department tendered for consultants to advise it on the future tender for a privatised speed camera operator.

The Department decided to seek outside expertise because of the "complexity of the tenders for provision and operation of speed cameras," a spokeswoman said.

She declined to comment on the likely cost or duration of the consultant's contract.

The successful firm will be required to work with officials from the Departments of Justice and Transport and An Garda Síochána to design the Road Safety Camera Service.

An analysis of existing international privatised speed camera operators and the setting of qualifying criteria for companies interested in bidding for the Irish contract will also be carried out by the consultants.

The consultants will also examine whether the cameras will be used for other road traffic offence enforcement, such as breaking red lights at junctions or non-wearing of seatbelts.

Last week the Minister for Transport said the introduction of privatised speed cameras was a key reform in the new Road Traffic Bill. Mr Cullen said he hoped to have the speed cameras in place on Irish roads by the end of this year.

A minimum of 300 fixed and mobile cameras will be used at up to 600 sites where serious or fatal crashes have taken place. Decisions on the positioning of the cameras will remain under the control of An Garda Síochána. Protecting the "primacy of the role of the Garda Síochána" is a key requirement for the consultant along with making the best use of the fixed charge processing system.

The cameras will be concentrated on rural or regional roads where 60 per cent of fatal accidents and three quarters of serious injuries take place. A small number will also be used at high visibility locations on motorways and dual carriageways.

Mr Cullen said research from Britain suggested deploying cameras at black spots reduced road deaths and serious injuries by more than 35 per cent.

He said incidents of speeding had also shown a fall of 10 per cent in countries where cameras were used.

Gardai expected to carry out more than 11 million number plate readings a year when the speed cameras were in place, resulting in the number plate of every vehicle in the State being read approximately five times a year, Mr Cullen said.

Under the existing plan a speed camera operator will be paid a fixed fee. This is rather than operators receiving a percentage of the fines raised, with the Government keen for the system not to be seen as a revenue generating exercise.