600 speed cameras to scan high-risk locations

Up to 600 speed cameras, most of them covert and highly mobile, are to be deployed at high-risk crash locations across the State, the Garda and Department of Justice said yesterday.

Revealing the scale of the State's proposals for a privatised speed-camera system at a road safety conference in Citywest, Co Dublin, yesterday, the department said 50 per cent of the State's vehicles would pass a speed camera at least once a month.

The department wants deployment of the cameras to begin before the end of the year once enabling legislation is through the Dáil.

Department official Brendan Callaghan said the focus would be on mobile cameras on rural or regional roads where 60 per cent of fatal accidents and 75 per cent of serious injuries occurred.

However, he said a number of cameras would be the traditional, highly visible fixed-type used on major roads and motorways. These were very successful at slowing traffic.

The system is to be operated by a private company, which will be paid a flat fee negotiated by the department.

Many drivers may not even know they have passed a camera on rural and regional roads, where the mobile units may be in position for only a few hours each day before moving to a new location. In this way the effectiveness of 600 cameras may be increased, potentially covering many locations.

Processing of photographs and fines is also to be carried out by the private partner to use up as little Garda time and personnel as possible. Where a fine is not paid the file will be handed over to gardaí, who will prosecute cases.

The cameras are expected to generate a large amount of money for the Exchequer, at least in the initial period as motorists come to realise their effectiveness. However, Mr Callaghan said it was vital that the scheme was not to be considered purely as a revenue-generator.

Assistant Garda Commissioner Eddie Rock told the conference gardaí were currently identifying high-risk crash locations where the cameras could be placed.

All divisions would divide all roads in their areas into "collision zones" of about 8km (five miles) to identify areas prone to speeding and crashes. Roads are to be rated under a red for highest risk, amber for medium risk, and green for low risk. Resources could be targeted at certain locations at times and on days when crashes or speeding offences were most likely to occur.

Minister for Transport Martin Cullen promised a road safety Bill would be published next month and would be before the Dáil by summer. It would also cover issues such as random breath-testing to detect drink- driving and the banning of the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving.

Fine Gael, however, has said it is to bring its own Bill outlawing the use of hand-held mobile phones by drivers, which it intends to publish today.

Fine Gael transport spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell said she believed the minister's "sudden announcement of the intention to ban hand-held phones has all the hallmarks of having been done in order to issue a press release in time for the road safety conference".