Aussie drivers 'put on notice' as new hi-tech roadside cameras rolled out
Popular in major global cities such as London, Paris and New York, these cameras will now target hoon drivers and noisy vehicles in NSW.
Brand new roadside cameras are about to be rolled out in Australia's most populous state in what authorities say is a fresh bid to stamp out hoon driving.
In a multi-agency effort, NSW Police, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) and the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) will roll out the new cameras by the end of the year, using methods popular in major global cities like New York, Paris and London.
According to the state government, the cameras will target "anti-social behaviour" and in particular noisy vehicles. In NSW, cars under 20 years old are legally limited to a maximum noise level of 90 decibels, roughly equivalent to the volume of a lawn mower. Motorcycles under 40 years old are limited to a maximum of 94 decibels.
As it stands, fines of up to $600 are in place for individual offenders, but a noise reading will need to be taken while a vehicle is stationary.
"Noise cameras are an emerging technology, and the trial will evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of the equipment and the resources required to use noise cameras for regulatory purposes in NSW," a spokesperson for the EPA told Yahoo News on Monday.
NSW councils among first in country to trial new camera technology
The trial is set to kick off in the NSW councils of Bayside and Wollongong, to allow the EPA to evaluate "the resources required to use noise cameras for regulatory purposes". The new tech will use noise meters to pick up sounds above a certain decibel limit within a distance of just over 15 metres, while cameras zoom to scan licence plates and catch offenders.
Wollongong councillor Richard Martin backed the move and said fines were crucial to measure the cameras' impact.
"The amount of residents that contact me complaining about the noise, we've got to deter [hooning drivers]," he told the ABC. "Whether the trial of a noise camera is going to deter them, I'm not sure, but a fine certainly will."
So far, four cameras have been purchased for the trial, with each one estimated to cost $50,000, according to the ABC. Yahoo News has sought comment for TfNSW over the figure.
It's understood the two councils are consulting with the state government bodies to plan where they'll be installed. The EPA said the "location of noise cameras may move from time-to-time", suggesting they can be moved around to target problem areas.
In April, the NSW government flagged the camera trial and asked for community input, saying it was cracking down on "cars that disturb the peace".
NSW Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe, said car hoons were about to be "put on notice".
"The NSW Government has heard the community’s concerns about noisy vehicles and is committed to sourcing and testing the most effective methods to deter anti-social behaviour on our roads," she said at the time.
The EPA told Yahoo that recent consultation with the community on their preferred locations to install the noise cameras saw 2,500 responses from residents.
Noise camera trials in New York and London resulted in the technology being used more widely. In New York for example, there was just one noise camera in mid-2021 before the city rolled out seven by 2023.
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