Point-to-Point speed enforcement

Point-to-Point enforcement is being introduced to enforce heavy vehicle speeding in NSW. Point-to-point technology can enforce speed limits over long stretches of road. It is on these longer stretches that heavy vehicle speeding is of greatest concern.

Point-to-Point enforcement targets heavy vehicles because it is suited to enforcing the long distances that heavy vehicles travel. They are also over represented in serious road crashes. Heavy vehicles make up only 3 per cent of vehicle registrations, and 7 per cent of kilometres travelled by NSW vehicles however are involved in almost 20 per cent of road fatalities.

Point-to-Point enforcement is being installed on 22 bi-directional enforcement lengths on routes with a history of heavy vehicle crashes

Speed surveys conducted on these routes have found that about half of all heavy vehicles travel above the speed limit and approximately 35 per cent of  fatal crashes involve heavy vehicles.

An additional length on the Pacific Highway between Valla (Oyster Creek) and Urunga was announced on 20 March 2012.

How does Point-to-Point work?

Point-to-Point enforcement works by measuring the amount of time it takes a heavy vehicle to drive between two points and then calculates the average speed of the vehicle. If the vehicle’s average speed is higher than the speed limit for the length of road, the driver will be infringed for speeding.

All Point-to-Point enforcement lengths will be certified by a registered land surveyor to ensure the accuracy of average speed calculations. The distance used when calculating a vehicle’s average speed across a Point-to-Point enforcement length will be the shortest practicable distance which ensures that there is no possibility that a driver’s speed can be overestimated.

For Point-to-Point enforcement a heavy vehicle will be considered as a coach, motor vehicle or trailer with a Gross Vehicle Mass greater than 4.5 tonnes. This will include most vehicles that meet Austroads class 3-12. Click here to view the Austroads vehicle classification system.

Point-to-Point enforcement will be used to enforce existing speeding laws, however, an additional demerit point will be incurred by drivers detected speeding using Point-to-Point enforcement. this is because offences detected by Point-to-Point enforcement demonstrates a continued intention to speed.

All Point-to-Point enforcement lengths are be signposted with new average speed safety camera signs.

How do Point-to-Point cameras improve road safety?

Point-to-Point enforcement promotes area-wide suppression of speeding, because speed enforcement is sustained over a length of road rather than just a single spot. Evaluations of Point-to-Point enforcement conducted overseas have shown a 50 per cent reduction in fatal and serious injury crashes after Point-to-Point enforcement was installed¹.

A recent evaluation of Point-to-Point in the UK has revealed that it has been used as an effective replacement for fixed digital speed cameras. A Point-to-Point system was put in place along a motorway and replaced a series of eight fixed speed cameras along the same route. Despite the existence of these fixed speed cameras, the introduction of Point-to-Point enforcement resulted in significant reductions in crashed and also improved traffic flow.

1: Cameron, M. 2008 Development of strategies for best practice in speed enforcement in Western Australia. Monash University Accident Research Centre.

2: Vysonics, Case Study SPECS Safety Cameras - A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, accessed 23 March 2011 <http://www.vysionics.com/case-studies>