REGINA -- Regina photo radar camera have been catching school zone speeders in near-record numbers during the pandemic, despite the fact that schools have been closed since March and playgrounds were off-limits until recently.
Up to 6,018 Regina motorists were caught exceeding the 30 km/hr school zone speed limit. An additional 276 were clocked going too fast in Moose Jaw.
Saskatoon does not ticket motorists when school is out.
The tickets could exceed $1.5 million if all are processed, but the NDP opposition thinks the fines should be waived.
“I think it’s a pretty obvious situation where those radars should have been shut down. There were no kids, there was no school, there were no playgrounds,” said Cathy Sproule, an NDP MLA.
Michael Fougere, the Mayor of Regina, is looking into discussing the fairness of the tickets with SGI.
“I want to talk to SGI and to the minister responsible and see what they think as well. Then we can make a decision,” said Fougere.
The city receives around 10 per cent of the money from speeding fines. The province takes a 25 per cent cut. The balance goes to program expenses and safety initiatives.
SGI runs photo radar and said it is willing to talk.
“If the city of Regina has retroactively decided, or is going to retroactively decide that the school zones should not have been enforced during the last few months, we’d be prepared to sit down and talk with them about how that might be remedied,” said Tyler McMurchy, a representative from SGI.
The tickets are recent and many of the fines have not been laid yet. Most of the revenue has not been spent by government, which would make refunds easier if the city and province agree to it.
