Ngaumutawa Rd has been identified as the busiest spot for the region’s speed cameras, with mobile units in the road churning out more than $80,000 in tickets in less than a year.
Between January 1 and November 7 last year 1482 speeding tickets were issued on the Masterton road, totalling $80,210 worth of fines.
Main St in Greytown, between Hospital Rd and North St, proved to be the second most snap-happy camera, with fines totalling $11,690 over the just over 10-month period.
Throughout Wairarapa $166,000 was collected, a sum split across 3074 tickets.
All were from mobile units, as there are no fixed speed cameras in Wairarapa.
The bulk of tickets were issued in Masterton, with speeders in the town racking up almost 2500 tickets totalling close to $128,000.
The official police data, released to New Zealand First, showed that nationwide fixed and mobile cameras generated almost $30m worth of tickets in ten months.
Of the top ten highest earners for Wairarapa, five sites were in Masterton, two were in Featherston and Greytown, and one was in Carterton.
Martinborough seemed to get off incredibly lightly, with just five tickets issued according to the figures, totalling $150.
However, during the period in question mobile speed cameras were placed in the area only twice.
Wairarapa road policing Sergeant Tim Crum said speed cameras “were another tool in the police’s toolbox to combat the rising road toll and injuries”.
Mr Crum said speed was not always the causing factor of a crash, however it was speed that dictated how much damage was caused – to both people and vehicles – in the event of a collision.
“That old saying from years ago, ‘the faster you go the bigger the mess’, is true… and it’s a proven fact.”
Wairarapa Road Safety Council manager Bruce Pauling said speed cameras were designed to save lives.
He said they were placed in high risk areas and often near schools.
“If people are prepared to speed near schools, then they deserve to get a ticket. It’s a no-brainer.”
The data backed up that view, with 33 per cent of the locations chosen in Wairarapa to target speedsters close to schools.
Selected rules for speed cameras
According to the police, speed camera vehicles must be visible from the roadside.
Where there is a transition from a higher speed limit to a lower speed limit, the speed camera vehicle must not be positioned closer than 250m from the point where the speed limit reduces.
However, this restriction does not apply around schools or temporary speed limit sites.
They must be placed on a straight section of road, and must not be within 250m of the finish of a passing lane.
Speed cameras can be placed on private property with the land owners’ permission.
When a speed camera is in a school zone, it can only operate between 7.30am and 6pm on school days and during school activities.
