Bathurst speed cameras
The newly installed cameras will target red-light running and speeding to provide enhanced safety for all road users. Credit: Whats new.

Australia’s Transport for New South Wales (NSW) has announced the installation of two red-light speed cameras at the intersections of Durham and Bentinck streets and Stewart and Keppel streets in Bathurst.

Beginning 29 April, the new cameras will target red-light running and speeding, with the aim of providing enhanced safety for all road users.

Centre for Road Safety executive director Bernard Carlon said: “We know that running red lights can lead to serious T-bone crashes or vehicles crashing into pedestrians.

“Around 60% of red-light speed camera offences are from people running red lights so we are addressing this problem head-on.”

Six crashes occurred at the Durham and Bentinck Street intersection and five people were injured in the five years before 2018.

At the intersection of Stewart and Keppel streets, ten crashes were reported in the same timeframe and 12 people were injured.

Carlon added: “Provisional data shows crashes claimed the lives of 352 people on NSW roads last year, with speed the biggest killer and these red light speed cameras will help to reduce risk in Bathurst.”

“The 2018 NSW speed camera review found fatal and serious injury crashes fell by more than a third at red-light speed camera locations, and pedestrian casualties fell by nearly half.”

To ease the new change for the drivers, the cameras will operate in warning mode for a period of one month. The drivers caught speeding or running red lights during this time will receive a cautionary letter warning them to change their behaviour.

At the end of this time, offending drivers will receive fines and demerit points. Fines from red-light speed cameras will be used for the Community Road Safety Fund to enable targeted road safety initiatives in NSW.

Last month, the Government of New South Wales (NSW) started penalising motorists for using mobile phones while driving.