Brian Negus, general manager of public policy at RACV, said the cameras had been "out of action for some considerable time, were rusty and very clearly not operating", and a permanent decision should be made about whether or not to keep them there.

"It's up to the Department of Justice and the police to make a decision," Mr Negus said. "If they believe they are required they should justify why, and if they are justified then instrument them if it's possible to do so, or alternatively remove them."

Police Commissioner Ken Lay said in an interview with 3AW in 2008 that the speed cameras on the bridge might be switched back on after major bridge strengthening works were completed. Those works – part of the $1.4 billion widening of the West Gate and Monash freeways and CityLink – were completed in 2011 but cameras have not been activated.

Mr Lay also said at the time, merely having the cameras in place acted as a deterrent to speeding because people did not know they were switched off. There is evidence the non-functioning cameras are an open secret to many, with some people bragging on online chat sites of deliberately speeding across the bridge.

Sayed Kabeer, a computer analyst who often drives over the bridge, said he believed there was a clear need for the cameras to be fixed and reactivated. He said he had been tailgated by trucks wanting to speed over the bridge on multiple occasions.