The number of speed cameras across Aotearoa is set to soar as the New Zealand Transport Agency / Waka Kotahi (NZTA) takes over operations from police.
A road safety charity supports the move but National's transport minister isn't so sure.
You could soon run a much higher risk of getting pinged for speeding. Police currently own and operate the country's speed cameras but that responsibility is set to be given to the NZTA and it could mean a lot more cameras on our roads.
Waka Kotahi sent Newshub a statement saying a formal handover of operations is expected in the middle of next year.
Its plan is to increase the number of speed cameras throughout the country. By 2025, the agency wants to have around 200 operating compared to the current 150.
But no decision has been made on how many more there'll be beyond that date.
Road safety charity Brake Aotearoa welcomes the move.
"They're a really useful enforcement tool. Evidence shows they help to reduce road deaths and injuries so we absolutely support there being more speed cameras," spokesperson Caroline Perry said.
But Transport Minister Simeon Brown isn't so sure.
"I've commissioned some advice on that, in terms of the scalability of that work," Brown said.
He thinks there needs to be more work done on where the cameras will go.
"I mean my message around speed camera work is that it should be evidence-based, it should be focussed on black spots and it should be focussed on whether there are real safety needs. It's not a revenue-gathering tool," Brown said.
But the Government's commitment to road safety is being questioned after reversing blanket speed limit reductions on state highways and neighbourhood streets - one of National's election promises.
"To reduce deaths and injuries to save lives we need to continue with reducing speed limits," Perry said.
Because with 314 deaths on New Zealand roads so far this year, the cost of driving too fast can be far higher than a speeding ticket.
