SA speed camera debate heads south

South Tce, last month identified by News Corp Australia as the state's highest-earning site, is the eighth-most common site, police placing a camera there once a week on average during 2014.

The major commuter route does not feature prominently in road-crash casualty statistics, and the Opposition has called for greater clarity in the way police select camera sites.

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A police spokeswoman argued that "the purpose of mobile speed cameras is to create a general deterrent that prevents motorists from breaking the law".

She said 59 collisions were recorded along South Tce in 2013-14, including one resulting in a serious injury.

"The alternative for SAPOL would be to know that South Tce was a location for frequent speeding but ignore it." However, the police's own guidelines state there must be an "equitable presence" of speed cameras.

Opposition transport spokesman Corey Wingard, who is calling for an inquiry into camera deployments, says this is unclear.

"You wouldn't want to think it's about spreading it around in places to make sure we're picking up people in all different areas," he said.

"People are very confused at the moment and the Government needs to be more transparent," he said.

There is also a requirement in the guidelines that police consider four years of recent crash data, with specific mention of fatalities and serious injuries, when choosing sites.

No South Tce fatalities were recorded by the Planning, Transport and Infrastructure Department in 2009-13.