“Zero deterrence” – the “speed camera of all speed cameras” strikes again

In Zurich Albisrieden, a semi-mobile speed camera from the Zurich city police caused a stir at the end of January. Because within a week more than 2400 speed offenders were flashed. The Zurich city police took in at least 96,000 francs.

After a week, however, the speed camera was dismantled and moved to another location. At that time it was not certain whether the speed camera would be placed again on Albisriederstrasse.

But now it is clear: The “speed camera of all speed cameras” is again in district 9 – in exactly the same place. However, Pascal Siegenthaler, spokesman for the Zurich city police, cannot say whether the system will strike again so often. “That would be a look into the crystal ball,” he says with a smile.

The speed camera was set up on Tuesday, March 7th. As Siegenthaler from the city police said on request, it is not yet known how often the tin policeman struck in the first 24 hours. “We can only do the first evaluations after a week.”

A news scout who lives right next to the device in question says to 20 minutes: “The speed camera set up at the end of January didn’t work. It’s been flashing non-stop since yesterday. So deterrence didn’t work.”

The mobile speed cameras are operated according to a predefined and complex rotation system at over 50 different locations in the 30 km/h zones or on 30 km/h routes throughout the city. “Depending on the location and the number of violations, the operations are checked for their effectiveness after a certain period of time,” says Siegenthaler.

The Zurich City Police have a total of 89 speed cameras in use – divided into 62 permanently installed devices, 25 semi-stationary devices and two mobile devices. For comparison: In 2021 there were a total of 341,657 speed violations in the city of Zurich.

But even if the income from the speed cameras appears lucrative, Siegenthaler says: “It is probably not planned to procure more mobile speed cameras and operate them in Zurich.”