Speed limit reduced but “not revenue collecting”

Tuesday April 1, 2008
40km is the new 50km, but is it just an attempt to collect revenue?
Auckland Traffic
Concerns that speed cameras only detect moving traffic, making most Auckland commuters exempt.

New measures to combat speeding are being introduced next month including the controversial proposal of reducing the speed limit from 50 km/h to 40km/h.

The government are also planning to triple the number of speed cameras around the country, with a number being installed in the new 40km zones. TheOtherNews asked if the two are related. “This is not about collecting revenue, it’s about enforcement of the speed limits” said senior constable Prigg of the Auckland Police. “Particularly in the new 40km zones, we need to let the public know that we mean business!” The business of revenue collecting? “No, the business of slowing cars down.” Prigg later admitted that the new camera’s do actually have to pay for themselves. “We are well aware of the criticism raised in regards to the new speed limit but it’s a very basic principal, and quite frankly we are surprised that so few people can grasp it. 40km/h is slower than 50km/h! And we believe it is therefore, safer! And if people have a problem with that, we’ll just make it 30 instead.”

The Government is expecting revenue of $180 million from the first 2 months of operation of the new 40km cameras should the campaign be a success. TheOtherNews asked senior constable Prigg that if more people are paying fines, doesn’t that just mean they are not slowing down? ”Well I’m not a government accountant, but I can tell you if the camera’s catch people doing more than 40km they will be in for a big fine let me tell you. And that will mean we have succeeded in getting our message across.” Isn’t that just revenue collecting? “Now you are just being silly. Get a life twit.”

TheOtherNews suggests to its readers living in Auckland they have nothing to worry about as the traffic there never gets past 20km anyway.