Two East Tamaki roads are set to become safer with Auckland Transport rolling out new red light cameras.
Accent Drive and Te Irirangi Drive will host two of the six planned cameras set to be rolled out across Auckland in an effort to reduce dangerous driving.
The new camera sites, funded by the regional fuel tax, will bring the total number of red light cameras operating in the region to 12, joining the six camera sites that began operating in June.
When the new cameras are ready to go live, Auckland Transport will choose which six sites will be enforced, with enforcement rotating between the 12 sites.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says the city needs to do everything it can to reduce unnecessary injuries.
“Red light running places lives in danger. Last year there were four fatalities and 19 serious injuries at intersections due to red light running.
“The scale of red light running in Auckland is demonstrated by the new cameras installed in June catching 660 people running red lights in just three weeks.”
He says installing the cameras is about saving lives — not revenue raising.
“We are publicising where the cameras will be to change behaviour and prevent people being hurt and killed, not to catch people out.”
Mr Goff says a previous trial of red light cameras in Auckland between 2008 and 2010 produced a 43 per cent reduction in red light running and an average 69 per cent decrease in crashes attributable to red light running.
“Aucklanders have the right to feel safe when they have the right of way to drive or cross a road at a lighted intersection. Over the next ten years we will bring the total number of red light cameras in Auckland to 42,” he said.
Auckland Transport Chief Executive Shane Ellison says road safety is the organisation’s top priority.
“Installing red light safety cameras is just one tool that we are implementing to make intersections safer, and we have an ongoing programme to install even more in the next 10 years.
“Auckland Council and Government are prioritising road safety initiatives as part of the $28 billion investment in Auckland’s transport network over the next ten years,” he said.
Inspector Peter McKennie, Operations Manager, Road Policing says running red lights is just not worth it.
“You’ve got to ask yourself; is it worth crashing and risking injury — or worse — killing yourself or someone else?”
The cameras are expected to be in action by October.
- The six new site locations were chosen based on safety risk. They will be at:· Great South Road and Cavendish Drive — two sites
· Te Irirangi Drive and Accent Drive — two sites
· Great North Road and Rata Street
· Great South Road and Reagan Road
