Photo radar to catch speeders planned for Burlington streets

The City of Burlington is working to implement a photo radar program by the end of next year.

A recommendation that will be presented to city councillors next week proposes Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) which will see the portable box-type equipment stationed along targeted enforcement areas and rotated to different streets every four to eight months.

Initial plans call for the use of three cameras with the option to expand depending on the success of the program.

In his report to councillors, Chris King, Burlington’s manager of transportation operations, says ASE works by getting drivers to slow down and stop speeding.

“ASE has been an effective tool to improve speed limit compliance, change widespread driver behaviour, and raise public awareness about the critical need for drivers to slow down. One of the main factors in collision severity and survivability is vehicle speed,” he says.

Places that will be targeted, if the plan is approved, include streets near schools and those designated as community safety zones such as areas adjacent to parks or playgrounds and residences for seniors.

The ASE system works by using a combination of cameras and speed-measuring equipment to record vehicle speed. The camera takes a photograph of the vehicle’s license plate and the data is then retrieved and reviewed to confirm a speeding offence has occurred. if so the driver is fined and sent a notice.

The cost of fines varies depending on how fast the driving is going. Still, the goal of ASE is to get drivers to slow down not to catch them.

ASE is already in use in municipalities in Ontario such as Hamilton, Toronto and Brampton.

However, in some communities, such as Mississauga, the cameras have been open to abuse with reports of them being knocked over, damaged and sprayed with graffiti.

Burlington has also considered implementing a red light camera system to catch drivers ignoring traffic signals at intersections. That plan has so far been rejected even though some exist locally on roads under the jurisdiction of Halton Region.

Originally it was expected ASE would be in place by this year, but the report says if the system is approved, the earliest it could be implemented would be by the end of next year.

The cost for Burlington to operate the program would be $1.3 million but anticipated revenue collected through fines is estimated at $1.8 million.