Smile, you’re on ka-ching camera
The country’s new highest-earning speed camera stung motorists on a busy Auckland street with more than $5 million in fines last year.
The fixed speed camera, placed on Ta¯maki Dr between Solent St and Ngapipi Rd, raked in $5.3m in 2019 from 60,141 fines.
This was a substantial increase from 2018, when the camera dished out 36,253 fines bringing in $3.2m. However, the camera was out of action for several months during that period.
Two other fixed speed cameras in the Auckland region rounded out the top three last year, with one on State Highway 1 in Waiwhiu — just north of Warkworth — recording 47,287 offences for $4.4m in fines, and another on Hillsborough Rd catching 45,155 motorists for $3.8m.
These three cameras made up nearly a quarter of the $55.2m from 654,221 fines from fixed speeding cameras in 2019 across the country.
This was up slightly on 2018’s $54.8m in fines for 611,712 offences.
The highest ticketing camera in 2018 was Rata St in New Lynn, Auckland, racking up $4.3m from 48,149 offences recorded, but in 2019 this dropped to 35,399 offences and $2.9m.
The top camera in Waikato last year was on State Highway 2 between Seddon St and Old Waitekauri St, which issued 38,151 tickets worth $3.3m, fourth place overall.
In Wellington it was a camera on State Highway 1 between Glover St and Newlands Rd overbridge, which recorded 29,375 speeding motorists worth $2.6m, in sixth place overall.
And the top South Island earner was in Canterbury, on State Highway 1 between Hopkinson Rd and Huirapa Rd. That camera recorded 20,902 offences, worth $1.8m, rounding out the top 10 fixed speeding cameras.