Speed camera vans 'more about generating revenue' than detecting speeding vehicles in Tipperary

Are speed camera vans merely a money-making exercise?

That was the question posed by Cllr Richie Molloy at a meeting of Clonmel Borough District.

He said that a van was parked near the Cashel Road roundabout in Clonmel four or five mornings a week, although he understood that the vans were supposed to be located near accident blackspots.

Cllr Niall Dennehy said that public confidence in speed camera vans had been seriously undermined by their seemingly perpetual deployment in urban areas of Clonmel, which was contrary to the original spirit of them being used only at locations of serious accidents.

It now cost €160 for every speeding notification issued since November 1.

Previously, it was only €80 for a minor infringement.

He said he had questioned the legality of a van being parked on a footpath build-out in Clonmel.

He asked if the private company operating the vans was exempt from all local authority tariffs, including commercial rates.

Cllr Michael Murphy said it appeared that the vans were more about generating revenue than detecting speeding vehicles.

He said the council should have some input with the private operator to deal with speeding issues in the town.

He said that the vans were currently located in areas where there were no speeding issues, such as near the railway crossing gates on the Cashel Road, and at Davis Road.

District Mayor Pat English said that the locations of the vans around the town made no logic or sense.

A van should be located on the Clonmel-Clerihan road, where accidents had been caused by speeding traffic.

District Administrator Carol Creighton said the locations were chosen by the private operator with the gardaí.

She would ask if the council could have some involvement regarding problem areas.