Red light cameras are here

In a bid to reduce the number of crashes caused by vehicles running red lights, Auckland City Council and New Zealand Police have introduced red light cameras throughout Auckland's CBD.

From 15 May, red light cameras will be operating throughout Auckland's CBD. Auckland City Council confirms that the police will issue offending motorists with a $150 ticket.

"Red-light running is a serious concern due to the high number of crashes it causes. Between 2002 and 2007, 689 red-light crashes were recorded across the city, including 220 in the CBD," says the council's Transport Committee chairperson, Councillor Ken Baguley.

In March last year, Auckland City Council ran an 0800 Stop 4 Red campaign to dissuade red-light running. It received strong support from the public who reported more than 2600 instances of this unsafe practice over the four-week campaign.

Road policing manager, inspector Heather Wells, fully endorses the installation of red light cameras. "I get many calls and letters from the public pleading for something to be done about red- light runners. We've listened to the public and are sure the cameras will help make our roads safer," she says.

Note to editors:

Data collection on the volume of red-light runners at the intersection of Victoria and Nelson streets on 2 January 2008, indicated 418 vehicles ran red lights within a 24-hour period.

In 2006, a survey of more than 1700 people revealed that:

75 per cent of Aucklanders surveyed wanted red light cameras
41 per cent of people said CBD intersections were unsafe for pedestrians
46 per cent of people said they see red-light running in the CBD at least weekly.