http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/driver-red-light-camera-fines-to-be-reviewed-after-bungle-revealed-at-melbourne-airport/story-e6frfq80-1226478651399

Red-light camera fines to be reviewed after bungle revealed at Melbourne airport 

by: Amelia Harris, Michael Ainsworth From: Herald Sun September 21, 2012
10:00PM
 

A red-light carema bungle was revealed when Gordon Bishop, of Altona Meadows, disputed his fine in court. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: Herald Sun 

MORE than 9400 motorists will have their red-light camera fines reviewed after a bungle at Melbourne airport was exposed.
 
Police Minister Peter Ryan has asked speed camera watchdog Gordon Lewis to investigate infringements issued to motorists from a camera at Melbourne airport over a 15-month period.

 
The review could see up to $2.8 million returned to drivers and 28,000 demerit points reinstated.

The move came after VicRoads admitted it failed to adjust the timing of an amber light at the intersection of Terminal Drive and Centre Rd when it changed the speed limit from 40km/h to 50km/h in November 2010.
 

The bungle was revealed after Gordon Bishop, of Altona Meadows, disputed his fine in court.

Gordon Bishop discovered the amber light at an intersection at Melbourne airport was faulty. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: Herald Sun

Mr Ryan said he would not comment on the court case as it was subject to appeal.

"The Government has asked Victoria's Road Safety Camera Commissioner, His Honour Judge Gordon Lewis, to investigate the operation of the red-light camera at the intersection," Mr Ryan said.

The bureaucratic botch-up continued with government agencies and the airport bickering over who was to blame and who would fix the mess.
VicRoads admitted failing to change the timing of the amber light meant motorists who lost three demerit points and were fined $305 might not have been given enough time to drive through the intersection.

It also failed to tell the Department of Justice when the light was fixed in February, meaning that motorists had no way of knowing if they were wrongly snapped.

VicRoads does not know if any drivers lost their licence in the 15 months the amber light was faulty.

Mr Lewis said motorists deserved an explanation from VicRoads.
The mistake came to light when Mr Bishop revealed his fine was overturned after he timed the amber light and found it was half a second shorter than required.

In a letter to Mr Bishop, VicRoads admitted it failed to adjust the traffic light from three seconds to 3 1/2 seconds when it changed the speed limit.

VicRoads CEO Gary Liddle said a "breakdown in communications" was behind the bungle.

"There will be people that went through as a result of the amber time that was shorter than it should have been ... if they've been booked on that amber time perhaps they shouldn't have been," Mr Liddle said.

Motorists snapped by a red-light camera at a major intersection at Melbourne Airport could get their fines paid back. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: Herald Sun

He was "very confident" this was the only traffic light where timing was incorrect.

Police spokeswoman Creina O'Grady said it would also wait for the appeal period to pass before commenting on Mr Bishop's case.
"However, we are confident that this individual case will have no impact on the validity of any other infringements of this nature," Ms O'Grady said.

Opposition roads spokesman Luke Donnellan called for an independent audit of all red-light cameras.
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