A former police officer says another big year for speed camera enforcement strengthens the perception that police are revenue gathering.
Some 629,000 tickets worth $49 million were issued in 2011, more than 1000 more than the year before.
Radio New Zealand's transport reporter says that when non-paid fines that are referred to the courts are taken into account, as well as camera costs and the wage bill for 73 camera operators, about $30 million will go to the Government.
Crash investigation consultant and former police officer, Hamish Piercy, says it's hard to believe that speed camera enforcement is not about revenue gathering when cameras are installed on stretches of road that are not blackspots.
The BRAKE road safety group says the cameras are about safety and people caught speeding only have themselves to blame.
Since 2005, more than 3.2 million speed camera tickets have been issued. They were worth more than $271 million.
The number one speed camera site last year was on State Highway 1, at Sanson, with almost 12,000 tickets issued.
It was followed by the Great North Road site at Glendene, in Auckland, with 8600 tickets and Ngauranga Gorge in Wellington, with almost 7500.
