Wagga rocketed up to fourth place in NSW for most fines issued after warning signs were removed from mobile speed cameras.
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Revenue NSW figures show that in December 2019, the northbound lanes of Docker Street recorded 19 fines for total penalties of $2783 for exceeding the speed limit by 10 kilometres per hour or under.
The same street in the same month in 2020 - after the policy was brought in to remove warning signs - saw the number of fines increase to 198 with total penalties of $28,290 for the same offence.
The 942 per cent increase in low-range speeding fines has reignited the debate over whether hiding speed cameras is a road safety or revenue raising measure.
Able Driving School instructor Glen Gaudron said the statistics clearly showed "pure revenue raising" and the four-lane road such as Docker Street should have a higher speed limit.
"How does it make it safe when the person gets the ticket about three or four weeks later in the mail?" he said.
"If they want to slow the traffic down, they could put out the signs. People would not be caught as much but at least they would slow down."
Roadcraft Driving Services instructor Paul Dawson said he would need to see more statistics to judge if Wagga drivers have changed their habits after being fined by hidden cameras.
"If there are no warning signs now, no doubt we will see more people being fined but it will be interesting to see what happens in the next few months to see if there is a change in behavior.
"If there isn't a change in behavior, we're just making revenue. We'll have to see over the next few months if there is a change in attitudes around town."
Docker Street generated more penalty notices for exceeding the speed limit by 10 kilometres or under than higher traffic areas such as the Hume and Pacific highways.
Just one fine at Docker Street was issued for exceeding the limit by more than 20 kilometres, and 19 fines were issued for between 10 and 20 kilometres.
Tarcutta Street was also a fines hotspot, with 68 notices in December for speeding by 10 kilometres or under.
Wagga-based Nationals MLC Wes Fang, who opposed the NSW government's plan to remove warning signs starting in November, said his arguments had been proved right.
"It's clear that part of that extra revenue has come from the front camera also being switched on; because of the warning signs, the cameras used to only record from the rear," he said.
Mr Fang said his biggest concern was the impact on drivers using roads outside towns where the speed limit was not obvious.
Regional Transport and Roads Minister Paul Toole was contacted for comment but his office did not respond prior to publication.