The potential role of local government in the enforcement of speeding
Keywords: Enforcement
ARSRPE
Submission Date: 2012
Abstract
Western Australian local government has responsibility for nearly 90% of the state road network on which nearly two-thirds of crashes occur. As road network owners and managers local government is well placed to contribute to countermeasures to reduce crashes and injury severity. The aim of this study was to investigate if and how local government in Western Australia could contribute to the enforcement of speeding. This presentation details the various methods and the role(s) of local government in speed enforcement endorsed by local government representatives and other road safety stakeholders. A number of activities were undertaken to address the aim of the study. Following a comprehensive review of the literature to identify the existing and potential roles of local government in speed enforcement, a number of models of contribution were proposed and work-shopped with local government representatives to determine their support and feasibility. The endorsed models were developed further – including economic costings – and presented to local government and other road safety stakeholders for consideration and final endorsement. Three models for the contribution of local government to speed enforcement were articulated, including the (i) operation of a fully independent speed camera program (as conducted by local government in Germany), the (ii) establishment of a partnership with police to operate a joint speed camera program (long the principles of the UK Safety Camera Program), and the development of (iii) a strategic program for the collection of vehicle travel speed information and the supply of speed data to police to support their enforcement activities (as noted to occur among some local governments in NZ and WA). After due consideration only model three was endorsed by local government and road safety stakeholders as being feasible and acceptable. The findings of this study endorse the role of police in the enforcement of speed limits and the need for local government to systematically collect and supply information on vehicle travel speeds to police to support strategic and targeted enforcement on local area roads.