By Casey Neill
Driver behaviour and not a dodgy light sequence are to blame for red light camera fines at a Keysborough intersection, according to the Road Safety Camera Commissioner.
John Voyage responded to a request for comment from the Journal after its 23 September story about Springvale and Cheltenham roads had already appeared.
Lighthouse Christian Church and College senior minister and president Richard Warner called for one extra second on the right turn green light, and urged other victims of the red light camera to join him in challenging the “revenue-raiser”.
But Mr Voyage said his predecessor Gordon Lewis investigated the camera and found it operating correctly.
In his report, Mr Lewis concluded that “the primary reason for the infringements that I viewed was driver impatience upon seeing the yellow arrow”.
“Some motorists treated the yellow arrow as an extension of the green, and were ultimately detected entering the intersection against the red arrow,” he said.
Mr Voyage said there were myths about the camera “which Mr Warner has repeated”.
“The light sequence was not re-calibrated in the fashion he describes ‘about two or three years ago’,” he said.
“I am informed that the sequence is unchanged since 28 May 2007.”
He said a red light infringement was only issued because a driver entered an intersection after the light had turned red.
“Some people seem to misunderstand this, and incorrectly think that being in the intersection after the light turns red is an offence,” he said.
Do you think the intersection is fair? Visit www.facebook.com/DandenongJournal or email casey.neill@starnewsgroup.com.au to have your say.
