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Mobile speed cameras in SUVs have generated more than $900,000 in fines in their first four months of operation.

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) rolled out the new SUVs in May, which has replaced the fleet of vans police have traditionally used.

There are 34 mobile speed cameras operating from SUVs across New Zealand.

Some 67,308 offences were detected, including activation notices, infringement notices and traffic offence notices, from May 12, when enforcement began, to August 31, according to NZTA figures.

These fines earned $928,960.

NZTA said money from safety camera fines went into the Government Consolidated Fund, not to the agency itself.

The country’s busiest camera detected 5179 speeding offences.

NZTA mobile speed camera vehicle: Toyota RAV4.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s most profitable mobile safety camera in an SUV earned $104,270.

NZTA said mobile safety cameras were used to provide general, rather than site-specific, deterrence to speeding.

“Mobile cameras are moved to different sites frequently to provide general deterrence. This means that, in addition to on-road enforcement by NZ Police, mobile safety cameras will be operating across New Zealand anywhere and at any time.”

This is part of an initiative by NZTA to place mobile safety cameras in trailers and SUVs across New Zealand, replacing the traditional vans.

NZTA head of regulatory strategic programmes Tara Macmillan said the technology being used was the same as what had been deployed in vans.

The trailers give police more flexibility to move cameras between “high-risk locations”, she said.

From July 1, NZTA became responsible for the operation of all safety cameras and New Zealand Police will no longer be using camera vans.

The police will continue to issue notices for the offences they detect.

David Williams is an Auckland-based Multimedia Journalist who joined the Herald in 2023. He covers breaking news and general topics.