Waka Kotahi is keeping our communities safe and encouraging people to make safe choices while driving by increasing the number and type of safety cameras on high-risk roads in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Currently we are deciding on the locations which will have the greatest impact, the number of cameras and mixture of camera types to use, to deliver the most effective outcomes in supporting people to travel safely.
Static speed safety cameras are the most common type of safety camera used in Aotearoa New Zealand. Static speed cameras take a picture if a vehicle is exceeding the speed limit.
International research has shown that static speed safety cameras can reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in road crashes by 15%.
Nine new static speed safety cameras have been installed across local roads in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland in partnership with Auckland Transport and NZ Police.
We’ve also installed a static speed safety camera in Te Tai Tokerau Northland.
| Road name | Suburb | Posted speed limit |
|---|---|---|
| Ostrich Road | Franklin | 80 |
| Mill Road | Pukekohe East | 80 |
| Waitākere Road | Taupaki | 80 |
| Waiuku Road | Waiuku | 80 |
| Glenbrook-Waiuku Road | Waiuku | 80 |
| Dairy Flat Highway | Dairy Flat | 80 |
| Papakura-Clevedon Road | Ardmore | 80 |
| Linwood Road | Karaka | 80 |
| McKenzie Road | Kingseat | 80 |
No data is being captured, stored or processed by Waka Kotahi for the nine new safety cameras at the Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland sites listed here.
These cameras are being operated in accordance with current NZ Police enforcement procedures.
Find out more on the NZ Police website(external link)
| Road name | Suburb | Posted speed limit |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 1 | Kawakawa | 80 |
This safety camera is in test mode and will not be enforcing offences until early 2024.
The safety camera has Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) capability.
The Land Transport (Road Safety) Amendment Act 2023 allows Waka Kotahi the use of average speed safety camera technology. Average speed safety cameras are also referred to as point-to-point (P2P) safety cameras.
Average speed safety cameras work by calculating vehicle speed across the length of a road between two or more cameras. The time taken for a vehicle to travel between the cameras is measured, and the average speed calculated.
International research has shown average speed safety cameras can reduce the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on roads by up to 56%.
Watch our video that explains how average speed safety cameras work:
With this legislation change Waka Kotahi is preparing to install 14 average speed safety cameras across seven road corridors in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Six of these corridors are in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and we expect to have confirmed the seventh location, which will be outside Auckland, by November.
Groundworks (foundations, base, power and communications) for the Auckland locations will happen through October and November.
These locations are:
| Corridor/Road Name | Suburb | Posted speed limit |
| Matakana Road (Test) | Warkworth | 80 km/h |
| East Coast Rd | Redvale | 80 km/h |
| Glenbrook Road (East) | Karaka/Kingseat | 80 km/h |
| Glenbrook Road (West) | Glenbrook | 80 km/h |
| Kahikatea Flat Rd | Dairy Flat | 80 km/h |
| Whitford Rd | Shamrock Park/Whitford | 60 km/h |
The first cameras will be installed at Matakana Road in late November. This will be used as a test site to ensure our systems are ready for average speed camera technology.
The cameras will be in test mode for three months from December through to February and switched to enforcement mode sometime after 1 March, in line with the new legislation coming into effect.
We will not be enforcing offences during the test period and any data captured will be deleted when the test ends.
These locations have been selected as we know people are at risk of being killed or seriously injured because of the road layout and the average speeds drivers travel at.
While our general privacy protections also apply to our use of safety cameras we have also prepared a privacy impact assessment (PIA) to ensure the appropriate privacy protections are in place.
As we introduce new types of safety cameras, including average speed safety cameras we are also working through what additional privacy considerations might be needed.
We are consulting with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner on developing our privacy protections. This includes updating our PIA at every stage, including where we test or introduce new types of safety cameras or functionalities.
These assessments also outline in which situations we might be required to share information ie when the law says NZ Police can access certain data.
Safety cameras detect speeding in a range of ways depending on the camera type. When they detect a speeding or red light offence a safety advisory notice, infringement notice or traffic offence notice will be issued.
Transport law requires all speed red-light offence detection equipment, including safety cameras, to be checked (calibrated) and certified every year.
Any new camera is subject to a rigorous testing and approval process before being used.
Camera locations are selected based on evidence of where crashes occur most often as a result of speeding or red-light running, and where a safety camera will have the greatest impact on speeding or red-light running to support road safety.
Waka Kotahi considers a number of factors when installing a safety camera on a road location. These include:
We work with our partners and stakeholders such as iwi and hapū, Road Controlling Authorities (RCAs), NZ Police and local communities, when deciding which locations are the most appropriate for a safety camera.
Waka Kotahi has begun speed surveys in the Waikato. Cameras have been installed at two roadside sites on State Highway 2 between Pōkeno and Mangatāwhiri.
The survey uses two ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras. The cameras will be removed within two weeks.
We want to understand the speed people travel at and how frequently people travel above the posted speed limit. This will help validate if these sites are suitable for safety cameras in the future.
The cameras will gather counts of vehicles travelling at various speeds. They are not being used to identify drivers or owners of vehicles or to issue infringements.
The cameras are owned and operated by an independent supplier. Waka Kotahi will never receive any images or information that identifies any vehicle or person. All images and data collected by the supplier will be destroyed within a month.
Complete the form below if you have a question about safety cameras, or want to report damage to a safety camera, structure or site.
