Police review fines of $50,000 after Kumeu speed camera error

Police are reversing speeding fines totalling roughly $50,000 after they determined a camera site in Auckland’s Kumeu broke positioning rules.

Up to 650 tickets issued to drivers on State Highway 16 in Kumeū are under review, according to 1News. That’s after a concerned motorist queried the location of the camera van.

He felt it was too close to where the limit drops from 80km/h to 50km/h. After a review, the police agreed. They apologised and will refund those who paid the fines.

The area’s Road Policing Director admitted this week that the mobile speed camera site on SH16 did not comply with current police policy. That says it must not sit closer than 200m from a point where a speed limit reduces.

Police are now undertaking a review of all the deployments at this site. Those issued fines when transitioning from the higher speed limit to the lower speed limit will get a refund.

Between January 2024 and April 2025, 650 westbound motorists were snapped by the mobile speed camera. Fines totalled around $50,000.

Under the law, speed limit changes take effect at the signpost. So drivers must reduce their speed before reaching a lower limit sign.

However, mobile speed cameras must not be within 200m of a point where the posted speed limit reduces, or within 100m of advance advisory signs.

Evidently, police placed the speed camera in Kumeū 178m from the speed limit change. For static cameras, the minimum distance is 250m.

Police Inspector Peter McKennie, infringement transformation manager, apologised for the error.

He added police were working to confirm the exact number of drivers affected. They will “follow standard processes for reversing notices and payments”.

“This includes notifying the Ministry of Justice for any infringement notices that are pending a court hearing or fines collection. 

He added that there are no demerit points issued for camera-detected offences.