Ross Edwards of Pakenham Physiotherapy has twice lodged complaints over a speed camera operator requesting patients at his clinic to shift their cars away from the camera’s location in Main Street. By Paul Dunlop
A SPEED spotter has come under fire for asking people to move legally parked cars because they were blocking the camera’s view.
An angry business operator has labelled it a case of “Big Brother going overboard”.
Ross Edwards of Pakenham Physiotherapy has twice lodged complaints over a camera operator requesting patients at his clinic to shift their cars away from the camera’s location in Main Street.
The move has prompted Tenix Solutions, which operates the speed cameras on behalf of Victoria Police, to agree that their suitability and safety should be reviewed.
Mr Edwards said he was prompted to complain after the camera operator came into the waiting room to ask for cars to be shifted.
Mr Edwards said he objected after this happened last year and was told that the situation would not happen again. He said his latest complaint came after clients were again approached early last month.
“These people were legally parked and, being patients visiting a physiotherapist, often have limited mobility and so park as close to the clinic as possible,” Mr Edwards said.
“It is an inconvenience to people and interfering with my business,” he said.
“I don’t have a problem with the camera being there to catch people speeding but this seems to be taking it a bit far.”
The speed limit outside Mr Edwards’ clinic is 50 km/h.
Mr Edwards said he supported moves to improve road safety in the area but was concerned that people were being discouraged from parking in the street.
“I don’t know what authority they have to ask people to move if they are legally parked,” he said.
“There are no signs to say that parking there is wrong. It’s Big Brother going overboard,” he said.
Tenix Solutions public affairs manager Liam Bathgate acknowledged the company had received complaints.
Mr Bathgate said police would be asked to review the mobile safety camera site after the complaints.
Mr Bathgate said Victoria Police were responsible for rostering the locations and times of all mobile safety camera sessions.
He said if a mobile camera session was in progress and a car, truck or other vehicle came in the line of the camera or radar, the mobile camera operator had to make a judgment as to what action to take.
Mr Bathgate said the operator could decide to stop the session and move to another location, wait for the obstacle to move or, if appropriate, request the obstacle be moved.
“Generally the public are supportive and responsive to any request to move,” Mr Bathgate said.
“However, in view of the complaints from the physiotherapy clinic, Tenix Solutions has instructed our mobile camera operators not to approach clients of the local businesses and we have asked Victoria Police to review this mobile safety site in terms of suitability and safety.”
