Courtesy Travel Speed Advisory Systems

Courtesy travel speed advisory systems are used in most states of Australia with some evidence suggesting reduced vehicle speeds are a result. Their use is also as an advisory system to alert motorists to both their current speeds and the speeds they should be driving at. Some jurisdictions indicate that courtesy speed check systems have a use in advising motorists about speeds in areas before setting speed cameras at the locations. In this light the cameras are no longer seen as revenue raisers.

The current review of the literature has primarily shown positive aspects of the systems including: Reduction in speeds without the use of engineering interventions; Speed reductions without hampering service vehicles; Technology allowing the use of courtesy travel speed advice and messages in other situations (eg. lane closed), and systems that can be fully portable or fixed as gantries on major arterials and freeways. There tends to be agreement from most Australian state road authorities that the use of courtesy travel speed advisory systems should be owned and operated by personnel other than Police. This then frees them up for more important work. However, the perception of ?government revenue raising? activities can be diminished by promoting Police operation of non prosecution activities associated with these systems. Most work with the systems in Australia to date is conducted by volunteers and Local Government personnel. Issues regarding training and use of the devices are noted. A model is suggested for use of the courtesy travel speed advisory systems in the short-term and for permanent installations.