Regina city council explores possibility of more photo radar cameras

Regina city council is exploring the possibility of more photo radar cameras. The city’s three red light cameras are photo radar capable but that feature isn’t used.

This week, council will consider whether automated traffic enforcement should be stepped up by also issuing speeding tickets.

“This is a lot of speeding going on and I imagine Saskatoon is similar. You might check that. I really do think we have to do something about this,” said coun. Bob Hawkins.

The speed cameras were turned on last October, just to gather statistics. At Albert and Parliament, 43,944 motorists were travelling between 50 and 60 km/hr. Nearly three thousand more were going between 60 and 70 km/hr and some even faster than that.

The city administration believes it’s a case for handing out photo radar tickets. Coun. Terina Shaw sought clarification on the numbers.

“I was told by the Regina Police Service that even though the speed limit is 50, you’re not ticketable until you are going 10 kilometres over the speed limit,” she said.

Coun. Jason Mancinelli referenced what he called cash grab programs to change driver behaviour.

• Download the CTV News app to get local alerts sent to your device

“I can’t support this. I don’t think it will have the necessary affect on behaviour that we want and I think we need that behaviour change because I do think that the safety aspects of what we are talking about, the increase in speeding, people’s habits of driving have changed,” he said.

City council’s executive committee has already voted in favour of the plan but in Saskatchewan, the provincial government has the final jurisdiction over red light camera locations.

Council will vote this week on whether it should approach the province for permission to establish more.