Speed cameras in the new 40km/h zone in Canberra's city centre raked in around $1.6 million a week this month, as drivers continue to miss the new lower limit.
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The NRMA has accused the ACT government of failing to properly communicate the new speed limit with the public, arguing the high number of fines show many drivers are unaware of the adjustment.
In the three weeks to July 26, 18,437 infringements were issued, meaning roughly 6100 fines are being sent out weekly. Fines start at $260.
The new limits, part of a city-wide strategy to drop speeds in town centres, have seen the number of crashes in Civic drop 30 per cent in the three months after their introduction, authorities say.
New limits, which dropped speeds by 20km/h, were introduced about three months ago on parts of Northbourne Avenue and Barry Drive.
Speed cameras capture northbound traffic at the intersections of Northbourne Avenue and Barry Drive, southbound traffic at Northbourne Avenue and London Circuit and westbound traffic at Barry Drive and Marcus Clarke Street.
Fines start at $260 for people caught speeding up to 15km/h faster than the limit, with increments for vehicles caught above 15km/h, above 30km/h and above 45km/h.
NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said the high number of people caught in the grace period showed the government had failed to effectively communicate the change to the public.
More than 20,000 people were caught speeding by the cameras in a two-week amnesty period before infringements were issued, but Access Canberra did not write directly to motorists detected in the period.
More than 1200 drivers were caught by the speed cameras on the first day the units were switched over to issue fines in line the new speed limits.
"They know they're going to generate revenue from these cameras, so that revenue should be used for things like education campaigns around speed limit changes," Mr Khoury said.
"Because there's one thing worse than someone doing 50 in a 40 zone and getting fined; it's someone inadvertently doing 50 in a 40 zone and putting their life and the lives of other people at risk."
Mr Khoury said it was remarkable people found to have sped in the grace period were not individually warned.
"Absolutely they should have been sent warning letters, otherwise how are they meant to know they were doing the wrong thing? And how are they meant to adjust their behaviour the next time they drive through the zone?" he said.
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Access Canberra executive branch manager Josh Rynehart said the number of people caught speeding by the cameras had fallen from between 10 and 12 per cent of all vehicles to between 3 and 4 per cent.
"There is a process people can go through if they can apply to withdraw or dispute the fine. However, we did put in a significant amount of messaging and signage, and a number of public messages, to inform people about the change," Mr Rynehart told ABC radio on Tuesday.
"And there are a number of signs in the space indicating the speed people do need to drive."
The ACT government collected $11.54 million from its fixed and red-light cameras in the 11 months to May last year. Eight mobile traffic camera vans issued 26,666 fines in 2020.
The northbound Monaro Highway camera between Lanyon Drive and Sheppard Street, the territory's top-earning, raked in $1.2 million in revenue in the same period.
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