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NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 05:51
Remco Andringa
editor Police and Justice
Remco Andringa
editor Police and Justice
The Public Prosecution Service will replace and relocate a large number of speed cameras in the near future. Flashes are also included.
There are currently more than 600 fixed speed cameras in the Netherlands. Most of it needs to be replaced. According to the Public Prosecution Service, the new cameras have the latest technology and can monitor multiple lanes at the same time.
In some places they are now being removed because people no longer drive too fast. About a hundred speed cameras in the Netherlands are therefore changing locations.
In three years, the Public Prosecution Service expects to have expanded the number of fixed speed cameras to 650. They check speed and driving through red lights.
In addition, there will be many more flexible flash units, which will be in a different location every few months. There are now 28 of these in the Netherlands, which will increase to 125. The Public Prosecution Service is also installing another 50 cameras to catch people using their phones while behind the wheel.
Amount of fines
The Public Prosecution Service believes that traffic fines have increased too much in recent years compared to fines for other violations. Nevertheless, the government wants to significantly increase the fines again next year.
Outgoing Minister of Justice and Security Yesilgöz says that otherwise she will have to cut back on the police and the Public Prosecution Service. They believe that only maintaining road safety should count.
The Public Prosecution Service has yet to determine the new locations. “The traffic situation is being looked at, how busy it is, how often people drive too fast and whether there are other ways to reduce the speed,” says prosecutor Ivy Obadagbonyi.
Sometimes an additional warning sign is sufficient or it is preferable to reduce the speed by installing a speed bump or a roundabout. “A speed camera is a last resort,” Obadagbonyi said.
The fixed speed cameras account for approximately 3 million fines per year, out of a total of 8 million traffic violations. The rest of the fines result from section checks, mobile radar checks and stops by the police.
These are the most and least lucrative speed cameras in the Netherlands:
NOS
The flashiest speed cameras in the first months of 2023
NOS
The least flashy speed cameras in the first months of 2023
Replacing speed cameras has now started in North Brabant. For example, this week a new camera was installed on the Gijzenrooiseweg in Geldrop. It is one of the places where the speed camera simply remains. Last year, 8,000 speeders were caught here and more than 150 people ran red lights. According to the Public Prosecution Service, such figures show that control in this area is still desperately needed.
One of the municipalities that fervently hopes for a speed camera is Tilburg. Councilor Rik Grashoff would even like to have several, for example along the Ringbaan-Zuid, a section of a four-lane road around the city.
“We have had several major hits here in recent years and also some fatal accidents,” says Grashoff. According to him, people regularly drive much faster than the 70 kilometers per hour that is allowed. “We definitely want to get rid of that and a speed camera is a good way to do that.”
Requests denied
In recent years, Tilburg has applied for a speed camera six times, but to Grashoff’s annoyance, all applications have been rejected by the Public Prosecution Service. “There are only a limited number of speed cameras available in the Netherlands, so it is a kind of race where the situation is the very, very worst. That is not how I would like to deal with road safety.”
The more speed cameras the better, says the Tilburg councilor. He will certainly make a new application, now that there is room for new locations. “Although I still think the number is very small.”
The government has made extra money available for traffic enforcement this year, but according to the Public Prosecution Service it is not the intention to completely fill the Netherlands with speed cameras. “We really look at where the greatest risks are for road safety and where they are therefore most needed.”
2023-09-16 03:51:55
#speed #cameras #places #coming #years
