Everything that is wrong with Victoria.

[XCSEDAN]

legitimate question here.
how many signitures do we need to get a petition through to the government?

im seriously sick of labour, tax tax tax tax tax tax, why not look for real solutions instead of making us pay more? yet not having the profit or a better country?

is 300+ million in revenue is raised, i expect to see 300+ million spent in areas where it is needed, how about the money gets devided up in proportion to hospitals going by the amount of patients they treat or similar (an extra bonus for rural hospitals is a must though)? then the year after it goes to public schools? improve what needs to be improved? if something like that happend i wouldnt mind the cameras as much....

but where does all this money go?????

[Auslandau]

Neil Mitchell

May 08, 2008 12:00am
THE first thing to say here is that anybody who consistently speeds is a dill and deserves to be fined or lose their licence.

But second, no matter how hard it tries, the Government cannot deny it expects the new EastLink tollway to develop into Highway Robbery.

Despite some desperate spin from the Premier, that is the only conclusion to draw from the state Budget.

Budget paper four on page 192 says fines revenue will increase 14.5 per cent to $492 million.
Then: "This is principally due to an expected increase in traffic camera and on-the-spot speeding fines arising from the planned opening of the EastLink Tollway which will begin to contribute fine revenue in early 2008-09, and the annual CPI indexation of fines."

Page 191 shows that increase in fines is predicted to be $62.2 million. Let's be generous. Allow 4 per cent for the indexation increase.

That removes around $17.2 million. That leaves $45 million as increased revenue from this one road. That is $123,287 per day, every day. (Thats for the one road only)

It's horrifying, but not surprising. There will be 22 fixed speed cameras in six banks on the toll road.

There will also be police patrolling the road and at times, the Chief Commissioner says, there will be mobile cameras placed there as well.

She won't say how many more mobile cameras will be out and about, but recruiting has begun.

The speed camera operator, Serco, is advertising on Seek.com for camera car staff in "Frankston, Dandenong and surrounding districts", which is precisely the area covered by EastLink.

There's no doubt this road will be a target and there's no doubt the Government has big expectations.

But it is undermining its own arguments. Police and government always claim cameras are placed at danger spots or roads with bad collision records.

How do they know it will be dangerous? How do they know where the hot spots will be?

It hasn't even opened yet.
That's why the hunt has started for a nickname for this road, designed to catch the community mood as did the "southeast arterial car park".

Here's a start: TheftLink. Book'em and Toll'em. Highway Robbery. FleeceLink. Revenue Road. Loot Route. Hip-pocket Highway.

And, in recognition of the number of cameras, the Kodak Track.

Fortunately, Victoria's motorists have a sense of humour. They need it.

......Kodak Track!!!

Dont always agree with Neil Mitchell but the points a vaild!!!!



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[Bobman]

Anyone who thinks cameras save lives is a :

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by XCSEDAN

but where does all this money go?????

Probably to cover the cost of all the major projects the government screws up, like MyKi or whatever that was and all the other projects that go over time and massively over budget. Do they ever do anything right? :

[dom_105]

Originally Posted by XCSEDAN

but where does all this money go?????

Probably just into general revenue, to cover ups like Myki, Fast Rail etc.

Soon enough, things will change. I know this is not the best way to reduce the road toll, and as soon as enough people realise this, Brumby will be out and somebody else will be in.