NSW speed cameras used as cash cow: Gay

SYDNEY (AAP) - Almost $350 million has been reaped from "cash cow" cameras in NSW over the past five years, new figures show.
NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay on Wednesday used the data to suggest the former Labor government had used the devices as revenue raisers.
"The public has long expressed concern to us that under the former state Labor government some of these cameras had become cash cows and were simply there to generate revenue, instead of being used to improve road safety," Mr Gay said in a statement on Wednesday.
The figures are the result of an audit report on speed cameras being prepared by the Auditor-General Peter Achterstraat.
It has found that from 2005/06 to 2010/11, more than $347 million was generated from fixed speed, mobile speed and safety cameras.
Mr Gay said the two speed cameras at Cleveland Street in Sydney's Moore Park were the highest-earning cameras in the state, generating $20 million.
A camera at the Great Western Highway, Parramatta, raised just over $7 million, closely followed by the Hume Highway at Bankstown with almost $6.5 million.
Premier Barry O'Farrell made good on an election promise to carry out the state-wide camera audit in April, declaring at the time he would rip out any camera found to have no impact on road safety or those being used to gouge motorists.
To date, the auditor-general has received more than 1700 online survey responses and more than 100 submissions on speed cameras.
"This response clearly shows the genuine concern many of the public have," Mr Gay said, adding he was concerned by the amount of money generated by some of the state's 172 fixed cameras.
"It's concerning that these cameras are generating so much revenue, it shows that despite the cameras' presence people are not learning to slow down and change their behaviour."
The audit, due next month, will also investigate the six mobile and 60 safety or red light cameras used across NSW.