New speed cameras to double capacity

The number of operational Gatso cameras is to double to 12 when the Garda replaces its existing cameras with the latest generation cameras with night-time capability.

Chief Superintendent John Farrelly told The Irish Times yesterday that replacing the existing Gatso cameras was a separate project to the contract for a private firm to provide and operate speed cameras.

The Garda Traffic Corps will continue to carry out speed enforcement using its own equipment once the privatised cameras start to appear on Irish roads in the autumn.

"We are replacing the Gatso fleet and as part of this process the number of Gatsos will double over time," Chief Superintendent Farrelly of the Garda National Traffic Bureau said. "The new generation technology will have full 24-hour capability," he added.

Weaknesses with the speeding detection systems were identified in a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, which in particular highlighted the high number of unusable photographs from fixed speed cameras.

According to this report, in 2005 some 49 per cent of the 108,331 images taken of speeding cars were unusable. The problems with the system were first identified in 2002.

The fixed Gatso cameras or those installed in Garda vehicles are only effective during daylight and this has led to the replacement programme.

Earlier this month The Irish Times reported that six private companies have been shortlisted for the contract to install and operate 60 mobile cameras by this autumn. These cameras are expected to have night-time capability.

According to the Garda, 90 per cent of the speed enforcement will be on secondary roads. The proposals will also see each Garda division assigned two mobile camera vans with the ability to operate at night.

Privatised speed cameras are a major component of the Government's road safety strategy and the Road Safety Authority is preparing to release a new advertising campaign just before the new cameras are rolled out to highlight the dangers of driving too fast.

According to the latest penalty point data, just under 400,000 motorists have been identified speeding but more than 75,000 drivers are likely to have escaped these points because they do not hold an Irish licence.

Speeding attracts two penalty points if the driver pays a fixed charge of €80 within 28 days. After 28 days the fine rises to €120. A driver convicted of speeding in court will receive four penalty points.

Since driving while using a mobile phone became a penalty point offence last year, 5,427 drivers had been penalised by February 28th. However, this is almost 1,400 higher than in January, suggesting that 350 drivers a week are being caught for this offence.

Over 93 per cent of the 1,396 drivers identified driving carelessly did not have an Irish driving licence.

In total, just under a quarter of the 404,795 drivers caught for a penalty point offence did not have an Irish licence.

Points cannot be applied when it is not possible to identify the driver's licence number.

This includes motorists from Northern Ireland, tourists and holders of other licences driving in the Republic. While some of these drivers are fined or brought before the courts, gardaí have no information on what proportion are prosecuted. The vast majority of drivers have just two penalty points.

To date, 80 drivers have lost their licence after receiving 12 penalty points. A further 406 drivers are on 10 penalty points and are close to losing their licence. Points remain on a driver's licence for three years.

After speeding, the next most common offence was not wearing a seatbelt and by the end of last month, 38,762 motorists had received penalty points for this.

After this, over 6,752 drivers were penalised for breaking a red light, more than 3,000 of whom were caught in Dublin.

The least common offence is failing to stop for a school warden. Only one motorist has been penalised for this offence.