Belleville council has said no to the idea of only operating its Automated Speed Enforcement cameras during the daytime and shutting them off from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m.
Councillor Kelly Henderson had asked for a staff report on whether the cameras could have hours of operation changed.
Everyone with the exception of Henderson wanted to operate them 24/7 to continue to promote community safety.
Councillor Kathryn Brown told Quinte News the program isn’t a cash grab.
“I think that there’s certainly enough data that we’re now seeing that would demonstrate it’s working, it’s changing behaviours, and that consistency will be a key component of how we enforce that.”
Data from the past 11 months during which the speed cameras have been operating show that driving speeds in community safety zones have dropped from similar periods in the past whether the cameras were operating in a Community Safety Zone or not.
Brown went on to say that the July focused-patrol campaign by the Belleville Police Service and Quinte West OPP on Old Highway 2 between RCAF Road and Wallbridge-Loyalist Road proved that there’s a real speeding issue in the area.
In just one month police issued 326 tickets to drivers, most of them for speeding.
Every councillor, with the exception of Kelly Henderson, stressed how well the system was working to slow drivers down, with all stressing the importance of community safety.
However, Councillor Henderson will continue to push for change to the city’s current Automated Speed Enforcement System.
She will ask council to approve their use only in school zones and nowhere else at its next meeting. At present the cameras can be installed in any of the city’s 12 Community Safety Zones, only some of which are school zones.
Henderson told Quinte News she did an online survey, receiving 570 responses and numerous comments about the cameras, and most supported their use, but only in school zones.
“It’s not something of a personal issue for me. I’m just listening to the constituents because that is really what should be listened to.”
Henderson also noted that in the past 11 months about $4.6 million worth of speeding tickets have been issued by the automated system.
While not calling the Automated Speed Enforcement System a cash grab, she did say the effect was a little harsh and was a lot of money to remove from people’s income.
She intends to bring her survey results and comments to council’s next meeting.
