New kerbside cameras around town have been putting many motorists on edge, but their intended purposes aren’t what you may think. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Residents around Wagga Wagga have begun to notice a number of roadside cameras popping up across the city.
The equipment, placed along some of the city’s busiest roads, has led many to be concerned about the potential number of speed and mobile cameras set up.
While similar to mobile and speed cameras, most of which are actually for data collection, these are being used by Inland Rail in the lead-up to the trial closure of the Edmondson Street Bridge.
With the bridge set to be out of action for two weeks after the project work starts at the end of November, Inland Rail will be using the cameras to monitor the number of cars and other vehicles that use Edmondson Street detours.
An Inland Rail spokesperson confirmed the purpose behind the cameras, also noting that they will not be used to catch people speeding or using phones.
“In preparation for the trial closure of Edmondson Street Bridge, the Wagga Wagga community will start to see cameras mounted on trailers being placed in key traffic-monitoring locations across the road network,” the spokesperson said.
“The cameras will provide better visibility across the network and be used to monitor traffic conditions in real time, allowing the project’s temporary Traffic Monitoring Centre to manage traffic flow, respond to incidents, and provide drivers with up-to-date information about delays, closures, and hazards.
“We would like to advise the Wagga Wagga community that these cameras are not new traffic enforcement or phone-detection cameras.
“These temporary integrated cameras are in addition to the traffic cameras that have been previously installed on traffic lights that will remain in place after project completion, improving the visibility of the road network for the future.”
Before Inland Rail’s clarification about the cameras, many Wagga residents, including keen cyclist Josef Winkler, were confused as to why there was so much surveillance around the Wagga CBD.
“At first I thought they were speed cameras,” he said.
“I saw them everywhere, and I was thinking, ‘Man, they’re really trying to cut down on people speeding or using their phones. While I don’t speed or use my phone, it does put you on edge a little seeing all these cameras about.
“It makes sense that Inland Rail would want to use these cameras to get data and whatnot, but it would have been nice to know they were going up beforehand. I’ve spoken to quite a few people who were really confused as to what these cameras are doing.”
