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NSW Switches Mobile Phone and Seatbelt Cameras to Bi-Directional Operation From March 1

Transport for NSW says the upgrade preserves vehicle check frequency despite a roughly 12% rise in registrations.

Overview

  • The change applies to the state’s 10 transportable units, with a staged rollout over about six months on single-lane roads and no additional cameras added.
  • The cameras, previously limited to monitoring up to two lanes in one direction, will now detect offences in both directions.
  • TfNSW cites growth from 6.7 million to 7.5 million registered vehicles and a target of checking each vehicle about 20 times a year as the rationale.
  • In 2025, about one in 1,200 vehicles was detected for illegal phone use and one in 1,300 for seatbelt breaches, down from roughly one in 400 early in the program.
  • Penalties remain unchanged, with $423 fines for phone and seatbelt offences ($562 for phone use in school zones), demerit points applied, and infringement revenue directed to road-safety programs.