Police Minister Michael O'Brien tells a Parliamentary Estimates Committee more speed cameras expected to net extra $22m in revenue Added fixed and mobile speed cameras are expected to raise an extra $22m in revenue Source: News Limited AN INCREASE in the number of fixed speed cameras on South Australian roads is budgeted to add $22 million in revenue next financial year. Police Minister Michael O'Brien told a Parliamentary Estimates Committee on Friday night the budgeted increase in revenue from expiation notices will be covered by 20 new fixed speed cameras. ``My understanding is that by and large that increase is due to an increase in the number of fixed cameras," he said. ``That's were the major effort has been made and there are a number of cameras on the South East Expressway ... and that's a very busy stretch of road. The hearing heard the estimated increase in revenue comes despite shortfalls of about $20 million in expiation revenue compared with budget estimates last year. ``I think the variances on revenue are as a result of improved driver behaviour, which is the desired outcome from the employment of this particular technology," Mr O'Brien said. ``We have areas within the state where we know that drivers still continue not to do the right thing and these cameras will be strategically placed. ``I think there's an expectation over time that they will become less a contributor to camera revenue than they were in their first year or two of operation. A decrease in fines issued from 70,091 in 2011/12 to 45,792 up to May 31 this year comes despite an increase of 10,000 deployment hours for mobile speed cameras. ``There's been a very significant drop in the number of expiations even though we have increased the number of hours devoted to operating mobile speed cameras," Mr O'Brien said. ``That's a reflection of the significant improvement in driver behaviour. Police Commissioner Gary Burns told the committee despite the improvement in driver behaviour and increased fixed camera numbers, police would maintain their presence on the road. ``All our efforts in terms of policing from the SAPOL perspective is all about lowering the road toll," he said. ``There isn't any intention because there's an increased number of fixed cameras to reduce our commitment to having mobile cameras and police out on the roads. The committee also heard that despite a government commitment to recruit over 300 additional police officers by 2017/18, total number fell in 2012/13. At the end of the 2012 financial year SAPOL had 4505.4 full time equivalent positions at the end of this financial year the force will have 4492.2 full time equivalent. ``We have less sworn police at the end of this financial year than at last financial year," Mr Burns said. Mr Burns said the drop in numbers was as a result of being over the planned numbers last year, due to fewer officers than expected retiring. Commissioner Burns also told the committee he is ``in the high 90 per cents" confident of achieving $150 million in budget cuts required by the state government, while delivering an increase in the number of sworn police officers.