A Road Camera Safety Commission inquiry into why Victoria Police chose not to enforce hundreds of thousands of Lane Use Management System (LUMS) speeding detections has found detections were rejected because they didn’t meet enforcement policy.
The Commission said the LUMS was comprised of overhead electronic signs installed lane-by-lane at regular intervals on some motorways; managed risk by reducing speed limits and closing lanes; and enforced variable limits with some fixed road safety cameras.
It said its inquiry, Road Safety Camera Program – LUMS Inquiry, followed an increase in the rejection of detected incidents of speeding in reduced speed zones.
“Monthly reports to this office identified that Victoria Police was rejecting many detections for enforcement because they did not meet enforcement policy,” the Commission said.
“Data demonstrated that rejections had increased by 228 per cent from 36,545 in 2018 to 119,904 in 2020,” it said.
“Failing to enforce reduced speed limits in hazardous situations poses an increased risk to community.”
The Commission said staff from the Department of Transport, the Department of Justice and Community Safety and Victoria Police were interviewed during its Inquiry, which found issues impeding enforcement related to data quality; the need to enhance systems; interagency collaboration; and improving governance of traffic management contractors.
It said Agencies had begun the substantial work to address the issues, by improving information quality, collaboration, IT systems and the governance of contractors.
“There is also a need to continue to work with the community to appreciate the importance of complying with reduced speed limits,” the Commission said.
“Whilst the road safety partners have commenced addressing the issues, driver behaviour at LUMS sites, however, remains problematic,” it said.
The Commission’s 13-page Inquiry Report can be downloaded at this PS News link.
