New digital speed cameras being installed

The Traffic Police are installing new digital cameras to nab motorists who break speed limits, reported The Straits Times. The cameras will be put up at 20 locations for a start and it is understood that most of the spots are on expressways and main arterial roads.

Like the 240 digital cameras installed or to be installed at major traffic junctions to crack down on those who run red lights, these cameras are sharper and more accurate than film cameras. They also allow police to download images at a central location and send out summonses in a far shorter time than the analog system did.

Police said the installation started last month and will be completed by the middle of next year. "These new digital cameras have enhanced vehicle detection abilities and coloured images to better identify vehicles that speed," said a spokesman. "There will be no need to reload and retrieve wet-film negatives, allowing these cameras to remain 'live' 24/7," he added.

Speeding remains the top offence on Singapore roads, with more than 200,000 summonses issued each year. That number could rise sharply, going by the increase in red light summonses issued since digital cameras were installed from March.