All hidden electronic speed sensors and cameras in Guangdong Province will be removed and installed in places where they are visible.

This is part of Guangdong Provincial Bureau of Public Security's move to standardize speed testing and prevent violations of traffic rules and regulations.

The bureau told traffic police across the South China province on Monday to temporarily suspend random speed tests on its advanced highway network.

Bureau Director-General Liang Guoju has promised to handle every traffic case strictly according to law.

In response to questions from deputies to the People's Congress at the ongoing session in Guangzhou, Liang said all traffic policemen would be made to wear their uniform while conducting floating speed tests on highways.

Response to complaints

The bureau acted in response to complaints from the deputies, who alleged that the province's speed tests are not standardized and violate the legal rights of the drivers and vehicle owners.

A deputy to Guangdong Provincial People's Congress, Li Defeng, said electronic speed sensors had to be standardized further because the number of vehicles in the province had been growing at a double-digit rate in recent years.

The province receives a large number of vehicles from the neighbouring Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, too.

Li has suggested that the provincial government set up a special unified bank account for traffic fines to prevent officers from violating the rules and regulations.

Traffic fines now go to the finance department of cities and counties after the traffic police have taken a big percentage from them as commission. This means the more police fine the drivers, the more bonus they get.

Means of deterrence

"The introduction of electronic speed sensors should be aimed at deterring potential traffic rule breakers and prevent accidents, instead of making profit," Li said, hence they should be installed only after a public hearing.

Lin said more warning signs should be posted on stretches on which drivers are prone to speeding.

Many drivers, too, want the province to set a uniform standard for speed tests.

Lin Fengshun, a driver, said the highways had too many electronic speed sensors, and fines for speeding were imposed randomly.

Once he was booked 10 times for speeding while driving on the 400-kilometer stretch from Guangzhou to coastal Zhanjiang, he said.

Editor: Yan