[First filed: Sep 21, 2010 @ 10:01]
![report cover](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_yOV8dhzN4jk/TJfykvbRq8I/AAAAAAAAZBc/LGx3UDC-iHo/s560/Screenshot-1.png)
I get a little confused about dates sometimes. But I’ve checked the calendar and it confirms today is indeed Tuesday 21 September 2010.
So I’m not quite sure what it means when TAMS says this on its website:
On Thursday 21 September 2010 the ACT Government announced that the ACT’s first point-to-point speed cameras would be installed on Hindmarsh Drive, to be operational by mid next year.
The forward design study is available and says the cameras are also good for:
- – fixed speed offences;
– bus lane enforcement;
– unregistered and uninsured vehicles;
– unlicensed drivers;
– providing traffic data to a Traffic Management Centre (TMC);
– Road User pricing;
– identifying vehicles associated with crime; and
– mass surveillance.
That last might have perked some of you up. Here’s what the study has to say on mass surveillance:
P2P systems have the potential to provide data for mass surveillance applications. This application is distinguished from the Non-traffic Related Offences application described above as it is not based on the use of hotlists to define vehicles of interest. Rather it stores data (either vehicle registration and timestamp, or vehicle registration, image, and timestamp) for all vehicles passing the camera and makes it available for future interrogation.
Maybe we just have to get used to them watching our every move?
UPDATE: Mr Stanhope has now put up a media release wherein he explains why this is good for us:
“The ACT will be one of the first jurisdictions to use a network of point-to-point road safety cameras in an urban area. Ultimately, the cameras will monitor stretches of roads, entry and exit points to roads, and check for unregistered, stolen or other vehicles of interest to police using number plate recognition technology.
“The cameras are part of a suite of ACT Government measures designed to challenge the culture of speeding on Canberra’s roads, reduce road trauma and save lives.”