The justice ministry is planning to reduce its budget shortfall caused by the police strike this year by handing out more traffic tickets, the Telegraaf said on Wednesday.

According to the department’s 2017 spending plans, the police have to ‘earn’ an extra €20m a year from traffic fines and measures are being taken to ensure they do.

More speed cameras are being placed, more police officers will be assigned to traffic duties and there will be more speed traps on provincial roads where the limit is 80 kph, the paper said.

‘These measures will have an impact on reducing the budget deficit,’ the ministry is quoted as saying.