More than 100 speeding tickets have been canned, and in some cases refunded, after a mobile safety camera breached deployment rules in Auckland's northwest.
Mobile speed camera operators must follow a detailed set of rules governing where camera SUVs and trailers can be deployed.
The New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) said 122 tickets issued on March 12 had been cancelled.
The reason the fines were cancelled was that the unit was positioned incorrectly.
"The mobile safety camera was partially parked on the footpath on the Coatesville Riverhead Highway in Rodney, Auckland, on March 12, 2026, which it shouldn’t have been," an NZTA spokesperson told 1News.
"NZTA has cancelled, and where appropriate, refunded all infringement fines issued while the camera was parked incorrectly."
Some motorists celebrated the cancelling of the tickets on a local community Facebook group, while others advised people if they didn't speed they wouldn't get fined.
Restrictions and safety checks
There are a range of restrictions and safety checks operators must complete before setting up at a roadside location.
Camera vehicles and trailers must be legally parked, clearly visible from the road, and positioned so operators can safely enter and exit without stepping into live traffic lanes.
Operators are also barred from obstructing footpaths, cycle lanes, driveways, or traffic lanes.
The guidance also bans cameras from being deployed within 250 metres of the end of a passing lane or near areas where the speed limit changes.
Road shoulders and time-limited parking areas require prior clearance from the relevant road controlling authority.
When trailers are used, the rules go a step further - surrounding vehicles must be prevented from parking behind the trailer for at least 13 metres on-road, and even further in off-road settings.
Mobile cameras can operate on private property, such as car parks or driveways, but only with the landowner's explicit permission — and that consent must be formally recorded as part of the site approval process.
NZTA took over the operation of mobile safety cameras from police last year, rolling out SUV-based cameras in May 2025 and trailer units in September.
The agency says the cameras are intended to reduce deaths and serious injuries by discouraging speeding nationwide.
“Mobile safety cameras reduce deaths and serious injuries when they discourage speeding everywhere,” NZTA head of driving regulation Chris Rodley previously said.
“This is known as ‘general deterrence’, and this is why mobile cameras are deployed nationwide ‘anytime, anywhere’.”
NZTA does not receive any incentives or funds from tickets issued, with safety camera infringement fees going into the Government Consolidated Fund, the government's main bank account.
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