In just three months, Melbourne’s speed camera generated $11 million in fine revenue

In just three months, a single speed camera has collected close to $11 million from unwary motorists.

Between October and December 2021, 30,000 penalties were issued as a result of the camera, which was installed across four lanes on the Western Ring Road in Broadmeadows, north of the Melbourne CBD.

Around 12,000 drivers were stopped in just the third lane, earning $4 million over the course of three months.

Due to roadwork between the M80 Western Ring Road, the speed limit was lowered from 100 km/h to 80 hm at that period.

New speed cameras are responsible for millions of dollars worth of fines in Melbourne. Pictured: Police pulling drivers over in VictoriaTransport boss has called for an enquiry into speed cameras and signs in some areas. pcitured: A speed camera sign in MelbourneDrivers who received fines for lower speeds caused by roadwork but where there was no obvious construction have flooded Victorian Transport Association president Peter Anderson with complaints.

He told the Herald Sun, “If we are going to set up temporary cameras, we need to understand where they are and what they are doing.”

“And if the cameras are treating us unfairly, we need to listen to the people,”

Paul Freestone, the owner of the freight business Freestone’s Transport, called for an impartial investigation into the temporary speed restrictions and cameras, alleging that “lazy” road workers build the limits but fail to remove them.

‘We want someone to have an independent look at how these cameras are being set up – who is setting them up? It is a private enterprise? Are all these cameras set up properly?’ he said.

New figures also show a camera at the intersection of Rosanna Road and Darebin Street in Heidelberg, in Melbourne’s north-east, collected $2,879,699 across 10,000 fines.

At the intersection of Fitzroy Street and Lakeside Drive in St Kilda, 6,681 drivers were issues with speeding fines, forcing Victorians to cough up $1,895,061.

In the CBD, a camera positioned on the intersection of King Street and La Trobe Street in West Melbourne was responsible for 5,556 fines – worth $1,556,893.

In total, 376,316 Victorians were fined over the past three months – costing them more than $100 million.

One camera is set up across four lanes on the Western Ring Rd in Broadmeadows (pictured), north of the city's CBD, and was responsible for 30,000 fines

Data showed the number of drivers pinged by mobile and fixed cameras was up more than 16 per cent compared with the same period last year, and 31 per cent compared with the previous July to September quarter.

However, Covid restrictions enforced during those periods in 2021 meant there were fewer motorists using the roads.

The Department of Justice and Community Safety said speed limits were enforced to keep drivers and road workers safe, and urged motorists to pay attention to road signs.

He added it was ‘disappointing’ to see so many Victorians disregarding road rules.

Elvira Lazar, from the the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria, defended the use of mobile speed cameras and said they were a proven method to deter speeding.