In a major change for New Zealand‘s road safety strategy, Waka Kotahi, the New Zealand Transport Agency, has finished transferring ownership and control of the country’s speed camera network from the police. The new setup features 65 fixed cameras located permanently, 34 mobile cameras operated from unmarked SUVs, and a growing number of camera-equipped trailers.
The most well-known cameras are the fixed “spot speed” cameras. These devices, placed in permanent locations, measure a vehicle’s speed as it approaches or moves away. They can accurately record a vehicle’s lane, type, and the relevant maximum speed limit. Unlike mobile cameras, these fixed cameras do not aim to catch drivers off guard. Their locations are publicly accessible and marked in advance, serving mainly as a deterrent. This transparency helps motorists get used to the camera sites and encourages them to drive at safe speeds.
After the fixed cameras, mobile cameras are the next common method of speed enforcement. Historically, police operated these cameras from vans. Waka Kotahi has updated the fleet to include unmarked SUVs and, more recently, camera-equipped trailers. These mobile units work similarly to fixed cameras by measuring a vehicle’s speed from a distance. However, their locations are not disclosed to drivers in advance. A spokesperson for Waka Kotahi said that these mobile safety cameras will be used across thousands of locations in every region, with their deployment guided by risk assessments. The goal is to ensure that people widely comply with speed limits.
In addition to the familiar fixed and mobile cameras, Waka Kotahi is testing new technology: average speed cameras. Also known as point-to-point cameras, this system uses two cameras to calculate a vehicle’s average speed over a specific distance. A penalty notice is issued only if a vehicle’s average speed over that distance exceeds the legal limit. According to Waka Kotahi, this technology is the most effective way to reduce road deaths and serious injuries because it targets habitual speeding, not just brief moments of inattentiveness. Currently, 11 of these cameras are either installed or being built in areas like Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, and Waikato, but they are not yet used for enforcement.
The change in ownership has made it difficult to get a full and up-to-date view of the revenue from speed fines. However, data from before the transition gives some perspective. In June 2024, just before the 12-month transition started, police collected $1.85 million from fixed cameras and $2.1 million from mobile cameras. This sum accounted for tickets issued to 0.2% of vehicles passing fixed cameras and 1.2% of vehicles passing mobile cameras. In June of this year, the last month before the complete transfer, Waka Kotahi issued a total of 30,063 tickets. These numbers highlight the significant financial burden speeding places on drivers.
The data shows that speed cameras effectively improve driver behavior. Waka Kotahi’s audits of newly installed fixed cameras provide strong evidence of their impact. The organization monitored one new camera in Northland and nine in Auckland. Before the cameras went up, only 57% of vehicles followed the speed limit. Two years later, this number rose to an average of 98%. The most significant improvements were seen at specific locations: in Kawakawa, compliance surged from 34% to 94%; in Pukekohe East, from 39% to 99%; and in Patumahoe, from 28% to 97%. It can be mentioned that these results suggest that strategically placed speed cameras are a powerful means to encourage safer driving habits and achieve Waka Kotahi’s ultimate goal of a safer road network.
