If you’ve driven through Perth, Melbourne or Sydney recently, you’ve probably noticed more cameras appearing on roadside poles. Some monitor traffic flow. Others detect speeding or red-light violations. A few even use AI to flag distracted drivers or classify heavy vehicles for freight planning.
Traffic monitoring is the continuous collection of real-time data using cameras, radar, loops or sensors so road managers can optimise flow and improve safety. It’s become essential infrastructure for councils, state road authorities and transport agencies trying to manage congestion, reduce accidents and plan better routes.
But here’s something most people don’t think about: every one of those cameras needs a pole. And not just any pole. It needs to be rigid enough to prevent image blur in high winds, tall enough for a clear sightline, and designed for easy maintenance without disrupting live traffic.
At G&S Industries, we’ve been manufacturing galvanised steel poles for more than 55 years. Our camera poles are engineered to Australian Standards, built for harsh coastal and cyclonic conditions, and designed to support the next generation of smart traffic technology.
What are Traffic Monitoring Cameras?
Traffic monitoring cameras are elevated devices that use high-definition lenses, infrared illumination and built-in analytics (or remote AI) to detect vehicles, measure speed or read licence plates. When preset rules are met, the system stores an image or video clip along with metadata like time, lane and speed for operators.
They’re not the same as CCTV security cameras. Traffic cameras are purpose-built to handle high-speed vehicle identification, often in challenging weather conditions and varying light.
The data they collect feeds into intelligent transport systems that help authorities manage traffic in real time. That might mean adjusting signal timing at a busy intersection, alerting drivers to congestion via variable message signs, or deploying emergency services faster when an incident is detected.
How G&S Camera Poles Support Your Project
We manufacture traffic signal poles, camera poles, and mid-hinged camera poles, all hot-dip galvanised for long-term corrosion resistance. Powder-coat finishes are available to suit heritage and urban streetscapes, with custom arms and brackets for multi-sensor housings, radar side arms, and solar kits.
Every pole is engineered to your site’s wind region and load requirements. We supply certified drawings, footing designs and rag bolt assemblies to streamline compliant installation.
Maintenance, Safety and Long-Term Value
One of the biggest operational costs for traffic-monitoring systems is maintenance. Camera lenses get dirty. Sensors drift out of calibration. Enclosures need resealing after a few years of UV exposure.
If your camera is mounted on a fixed pole, every maintenance visit requires a cherry-picker, traffic control and a lane closure. That’s expensive and disruptive. Mid-hinged poles solve that problem by allowing the camera housing to be lowered to ground level by one person. You can clean the lens, replace a faulty sensor or swap out the entire unit in minutes, then raise it back into position and lock it off.
That design also improves worker safety. No one’s working at height on a ladder or in a basket next to moving traffic. The hinge mechanism is robust and simple, with no hydraulics or complex controls. It’s a proven solution we’ve been refining for years, and it’s particularly popular with councils managing large camera networks across multiple sites.
Getting the Right Pole for Your Next Project
If you’re planning a traffic-monitoring installation, whether it’s a single camera at a school zone or a network rollout across a local government area, the pole is a decision worth getting right.
Start by understanding your site conditions: wind region, terrain category, proximity to overhead lines, and whether you need solar power or mains connection. Then think about the camera system: housing weight, mounting-arm configuration, and whether you’ll need space for future upgrades.
Our engineering team can help with all of that. We provide pole-sizing consultations, review your load requirements, and produce detailed drawings that meet your local authority’s approval process. We’ve worked on projects from remote mining haul roads in the Pilbara to high-profile urban intersections in capital cities, so we understand the practical challenges and regulatory requirements.
We also coordinate delivery to match your project schedule. Whether you need a single pole delivered to a regional site or a staged delivery of 50 poles across a metropolitan rollout, we manage the logistics so your contractor has the right equipment onsite when they need it.
Traffic monitoring is only going to become more important as cities grow and transport networks get busier. Choosing the right camera pole now means lower maintenance costs, better data quality and a system that’s ready for the next generation of smart-traffic technology.
Get in touch with our team to discuss your next camera-pole project. We’ll make sure you get a solution that’s engineered for Australian conditions, compliant with local standards, and built to last.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traffic monitoring is the continuous collection of real-time data on vehicle counts, speeds, classes, and incidents using cameras, radar, inductive loops, or other sensors. Road managers use this information to optimise traffic flow, improve safety and plan infrastructure upgrades.
Vehicle-monitoring cameras sit on elevated poles and use high-definition lenses plus infrared illumination to detect vehicles day and night. Built-in analytics (or remote AI) measure speed, read licence plates or classify vehicle types. When preset rules are met, such as a car exceeding the speed limit or running a red light, the system stores an image or video clip along with metadata like time, lane and speed for operators to review.
A traffic monitoring device is any instrument that gathers live traffic information. Examples include cameras, radar detectors, inductive loops embedded in the road surface, microwave sensors, or Bluetooth scanners that track phone signals. Cameras are the most versatile because they provide visual verification and can be upgraded with AI software to detect multiple traffic conditions simultaneously, from congestion to incidents.