$3M CASH CAM

Thousands of drivers nabbed at our red-light hot spots

SPEED and red light cameras across Geelong are raking in almost $3 million a year — and fines from some sites have increased by more than $300,000 in just 12 months.

Geelong’s million-dollar cash camera at the intersection of La Trobe Tce and Fyans St, South Geelong, was the region’s No. 1 earner with more than 3000 fines for the financial year ending June 30, 2017.

On the Princes Freeway between Geelong and Mel- bourne, fine revenue took a dive after a statewide temporary freeze on fines due to software virus fears that potentially cost the State Government millions in revenue.

It is the first time revenue from the fixed freeway speed cameras has declined, down 0.42 per cent on the previous year, according to State Government data.

The big winner for state coffers at the Geelong end of the freeway was at Lara, where $3.21 million in fines were generated by cameras on the Avalon Rd bridge’s Melbournebound lanes.

Acting Senior-Sergeant Peter Radford said the Geelong Highway Patrol had noticed a significant number of drivers speeding between the fixed cameras.

“We’re seeing people slowing for the fixed cameras then planting the boot. In the last few days we’ve been getting speeds of around 130km/h on the Princes Freeway, which is of concern,” he said.

The installation of new cameras at the intersection of Settlement and Torquay roads saw more than $110,000 in fines issued at the gateway to the Surf Coast.

Other major earners included: LA TROBE Tce and Fyans St, South Geelong: $980,297. PRINCES Highway and Sparks Rd, Norlane: $432,807. PRINCES Highway and Station St/Purnell Rd, Corio: $317,898.

Across the Geelong area’s 11 suburban cameras, fines revenue jumped 17.79 per cent.

“Speed is one of the top five causes of collisions, and we know if you’re travelling over the speed limit 10km/h you’re not going to get there any quicker,” Sen Sgt Radford said.

“Your risk of crashing though increases for every 5km/h over you are.”

Earlier this year, cameras at the intersections of the Princes Highway and Purnell Rd, Corio, and Thompson Rd and Separation St, North Geelong, were upgraded.

As a result, revenue from the Corio camera rose from $7580 in the 2015/16 financial year to $317,898 the following year.

In North Geelong, revenue jumped from $7201 to $204,935.

The data includes fines for speeding, red-light and unregistered vehicle offences.