Latest news with #AutomatedSpeedEnforcement
Hamilton Spectator
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Stouffville Withholds Ticket Data as Automated Speed Camera Program Grows
● The Town plans to activate four new Automated Speed Enforcement cameras by late Q3 2025. ● Councillors are fielding ongoing questions from residents about the program, including inquiries regarding the number of tickets issued and amount of revenue collected. ● Town Staff say disclosure of early figures could be misleading and are withholding data to preserve the 'integrity' of the program. ● A full report is expected in fall 2025, earlier than originally planned, to provide a more accurate picture of long-term trends. ● Councillors offered varying perspectives during a recent meeting, with some emphasizing personal accountability and others critiquing the long-term consequences of drivers' speeding habits. ● Mayor Lovatt says fines from the program are exceeding expectations and will help fund traffic calming and road infrastructure improvements. Stouffville has scheduled activation of four additional Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras by mid-to-late Q3 2025. The new cameras will form the second phase of the Town's ASE program , which launched on March 17, 2025, and are planned for the following locations: 'Coming Soon' signage has been placed at all four sites and will remain posted for at least 90 days before the cameras become operational. Public reaction to Stouffville's ASE program has been divided, with some residents welcoming the cameras as a necessary step to improve road safety, and others expressing strong opposition. The Town has set up a dedicated email address (ase@ to field questions, address concerns, and provide direct information to residents. During Council's May 21 meeting, Ward 4 Councillor Rick Upton noted that he and his colleagues are facing constant inquiries from residents about the program, including questions regarding the number of tickets issued and revenue collected to date. Although preliminary data has been compiled, Town Staff say it is still too early to provide a full update on the program's performance. Becky Jamieson, Stouffville's Commissioner of Corporate Services and Town Clerk, emphasized the importance of protecting the 'integrity' of the program and said that detailed ticket statistics and financial figures are not yet available. 'When we refer to maintaining the 'integrity' of the program, we're speaking to the importance of presenting a full and accurate picture of the ASE initiative,' she said in comments to Bullet Point News. 'Releasing revenue or ticket data too early can be misleading, as initial figures are often artificially high due to driver unfamiliarity with the cameras and increased media and public attention at launch.' In comments to Council, Jamieson referenced Newmarket 's ASE program, which has been in operation for nearly a year and only recently produced its first report for council consideration. Her team is currently reviewing early data and confirmed that a report will be presented to Stouffville Council this fall, which is earlier than the originally planned one-year assessment. 'This approach ensures the public receives a more balanced, meaningful snapshot of the program's impact and effectiveness, rather than a potentially distorted view based on launch-period anomalies,' Jamieson told us. 'We're committed to transparency and plan to share aggregate data once we believe it accurately reflects the program's intended outcomes, which are reducing speeding and improving road safety for everyone.' During an April 29 Town Hall event, Mayor Iain Lovatt hinted at some early ASE results. 'They are working, they are slowing people down, and, unfortunately, they are working too well—because we're giving out a lot of tickets,' Lovatt told attendees. 'I've said publicly many times that I want this to be the biggest failure, because that means people are driving the speed limit, but that hasn't proven to be the case in the first six weeks.' Lovatt said funds generated through the program have been earmarked for traffic calming and road infrastructure improvements, as directed by Council. He noted the revenue is expected to exceed initial projections, allowing for a broader range of measures to be considered. One potential focus is Hoover Park Drive, which Lovatt described as exceedingly wide and poorly designed. 'From York-Durham to Ninth Line, it is a bit of a racetrack,' he said. Suggestions for improvements include replacing the current textured asphalt median with a fully raised, landscaped median to create a visual break and encourage slower driving. Ward 6 Councillor Sue Sherban highlighted the history of speed limit reductions throughout the community, saying that roads originally designed for higher speeds have gradually been reduced largely in response to persistent speeding. In her view, drivers collectively bear responsibility for the resulting reliance on ASE cameras. 'These roads weren't built for 40 kilometres an hour,' she said, pointing to Ninth Line as an example of a major arterial road where current speed limits feel inconsistent with the road's scale and capacity. While acknowledging residents' frustrations and showing some empathy for concerns raised in emails, Sherban said it's important to recognize how the issue evolved. 'We've gotten ourselves into this situation,' Sherban said. 'If we did the original speed that the roads were made for, we would not be as frustrated as we are today in having to be the nanny state.' Ward 1 Councillor Hugo Kroon voiced strong support for the ASE program, emphasizing that those who receive tickets are 'fully deserving' of them. Speaking candidly, he acknowledged his own history as someone with a lead foot and a background in motor racing, but said that did not diminish his view on accountability. Kroon pushed back against claims from some residents that the program unfairly targets those who can't afford fines, calling that argument '100 percent incorrect.' Instead, he framed the tickets as a consequence for those who choose to ignore speed limits, putting both themselves and others at risk. 'I have absolutely no sympathy for that whatsoever,' Kroon said, adding that if financial penalties are what it takes to curb dangerous driving, he is in favour of the outcome. According to York Region, ASE cameras help reduce vehicle speeds by about 10 km/h and improve speed limit compliance by approximately 25 percent. The Region also reports that ASE can cut collision rates by up to 48 percent. 'As often as we get emails from people who are frustrated and upset, I think the silent majority in our community are grateful,' Lovatt said. 'I've literally had people hug me, thanking me for…the tangible difference in reducing speeds on our streets.' 'It's the one thing that we have done that has actually worked for traffic calming,' Lovatt added. 'And we've tried a lot over the last six years.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Parkside Dr. speed camera vandalized for fifth time in past 6 months
The Parkside Dr. speed camera, Toronto's busiest and most vandalized traffic enforcement tool, was cut down for a fifth time in the past six months. Advocacy group Safe Parkside revealed the latest malicious act on Friday. 'The lack of meaningful safety measures remains a big concern on Parkside Drive, a street that borders the city's busiest park, High Park, on the west side and is lined with residential family homes on the east side,' Faraz Gholizadeh, Safe Parkside Co-Chair, said in statement. 'Despite Parkside Drive's long and deadly history of speeding, the City of Toronto continues to overlook safety on Parkside Drive year after year.' In response, a city spokesperson said it 'condemns any incident of theft or vandalism of Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) devices. Tampering with, damaging or stealing one of these devices allows dangerous speeding to continue and undermines the safety of all road users.' The spokesperson added the city is 'working with the contractor on other measures to help reduce incidents of vandalism. In addition to being pole-mounted, the Parkside Drive camera is remotely monitored so the contractor is notified in real time if the device goes offline unexpectedly.' The city says all cameras have an audible alarm on the device and are coated with a substance that allows the vendor to easily remove graffiti/spray paint. The spokesperson said cameras will always be repaired or replaced to keep them in operation and while the city does not own any of the ASE devices as they are a vendor-provided service, it is the vendor's responsibility to replace or fix the devices within a maximum of 30 days and report serious incidents of vandalism to Toronto Police. The Parkside Dr. camera was installed after a speeding motorist killed an elderly couple in a horrific five-car crash in October 2021. Safe Parkside says since its installation, the Parkside Dr. camera has become Toronto's busiest enforcement tool, having issued a whopping 67,786 speeding tickets and generated more than $7.2 million in fines to date. Speed enforcement cameras in Vaughan repeatedly damaged Parkside Dr. speed camera cut down for fourth time in five months
Toronto Sun
23-05-2025
- Toronto Sun
Parkside Dr. speed camera vandalized for fifth time in past 6 months
The Parkside Drive speed camera has been vandalized for the fifth time in the last 6 months Photo by Safe Parkside The Parkside Dr. speed camera, Toronto's busiest and most vandalized traffic enforcement tool, was cut down for a fifth time in the past six months. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Advocacy group Safe Parkside revealed the latest malicious act on Friday. 'The lack of meaningful safety measures remains a big concern on Parkside Drive, a street that borders the city's busiest park, High Park, on the west side and is lined with residential family homes on the east side,' Faraz Gholizadeh, Safe Parkside Co-Chair, said in statement. 'Despite Parkside Drive's long and deadly history of speeding, the City of Toronto continues to overlook safety on Parkside Drive year after year.' In response, a city spokesperson said it 'condemns any incident of theft or vandalism of Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) devices. Tampering with, damaging or stealing one of these devices allows dangerous speeding to continue and undermines the safety of all road users.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The spokesperson added the city is 'working with the contractor on other measures to help reduce incidents of vandalism. In addition to being pole-mounted, the Parkside Drive camera is remotely monitored so the contractor is notified in real time if the device goes offline unexpectedly.' The city says all cameras have an audible alarm on the device and are coated with a substance that allows the vendor to easily remove graffiti/spray paint. The spokesperson said cameras will always be repaired or replaced to keep them in operation and while the city does not own any of the ASE devices as they are a vendor-provided service, it is the vendor's responsibility to replace or fix the devices within a maximum of 30 days and report serious incidents of vandalism to Toronto Police. RECOMMENDED VIDEO The Parkside Dr. camera was installed after a speeding motorist killed an elderly couple in a horrific five-car crash in October 2021. Safe Parkside says since its installation, the Parkside Dr. camera has become Toronto's busiest enforcement tool, having issued a whopping 67,786 speeding tickets and generated more than $7.2 million in fines to date. Read More Toronto Maple Leafs Columnists World Editorial Cartoons Canada
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
More than 300 Toronto speed cameras have been vandalized this year, city officials report
Cars zoom past a vandalized traffic speed camera beside High Park in Toronto on Thursday August 24, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn) Toronto speed cameras have been targeted more than 300 times this year, raising concerns about road safety just weeks after officials announced plans to expand the controversial program. In an email to CTV News Toronto, city staff confirmed that there have been 325 incidents of vandalism involving its Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras so far in 2025, noting that incidents include 'any vandalism, not just damage beyond repair.' The data comes less than a month after the city said it would double the number of speed cameras from 75 to 150 amid growing concerns about traffic deaths in relation to speed. One notorious camera, near Parkside Drive and Algonquin Avenue has been repeatedly chopped down, even as it issued more than 66,000 tickets and generated millions of dollars. Last month, it was axed again for a fourth time after being tossed in a nearby pond several months prior. Parkside speed camera An image of the Parkside speed camera tossed in the pond in December 2024 (Safe Parkside photo). Now, new figures released by the city show that hostility toward the program extends far beyond just one intersection. The city says it notifies Toronto police whenever a device is damaged and launch investigations as needed. In 2024, exactly 12 cameras were deemed 'vandalized beyond repair,' with estimated repair costs of $10,000 per unit. Those costs, the city says, are usually absorbed by private contractors which are responsible for the upkeep of the devices. Barbara Gray, Toronto's general manager of transportation services, has been vocal about the recent wave of vandalism, noting that the city is working to make speed cameras less vulnerable to tampering. 'We are in the process of converting more of our automated speed cameras into permanent pole-mounted cameras,' she said at a news conference last month. In the statement, the city says it 'condemns all acts of theft and vandalism of ASE cameras as this negatively impacts road safety and allows dangerous speeding to continue near vulnerable road users.' Whether that tension escalates, remains to be seen. However for now residents can visit the City of Toronto's website to view all 150 speed camera locations.
CBC
03-04-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Windsor, Ont., will likely approve speed cameras this month. Do they work?
Social Sharing Speed cameras could be coming to Windsor, Ont., this year — and city staff predict they could issue 23,000 tickets annually. City council, at its upcoming April 14 meeting, will look at bringing in five photo radar cameras that will rotate every couple of months across more than 50 locations. Each site requires a 90-day advance notice period, with signs at upcoming locations. The devices end up ticketing vehicle owners if they're breaking the posted speed limit by a certain amount. The proposed Automated Speed Enforcement program has already been approved by five city councillors on the environmental, transportation and public safety committee. If approved by council, staff expect to put any profit toward traffic calming measures, but only after first paying off the program's expenses. WATCH | Speed cameras: Safety measure or cash grab?: Speed cameras: Safety measure or cash grab? 7 months ago Duration 4:39 What do speed cameras achieve? Similar cameras have been installed in cities across Ontario for years, with many reporting a noticeable shift in driver behaviour. Toronto launched its program with 50 speed cameras in 2020, and now operates a mixture of 150 mobile and permanent ones. A study found the biggest shift in driver behaviour was an 87 per cent reduction in the number of people driving over the speed limit by 20 km/h or more. Overall traffic flow also dropped by seven km/h in areas with 30, 40, and 50 km/h speed limits. That's a similar drop the City of London is tracking after launching a speed camera program in 2021. London started with two cameras and now rotates seven across the city. "We've seen some good success in terms of increasing driver awareness around the need to reduce speed," said Garfield Dales with London's transportation, planning and design division. Dales said data also shows long term driver behaviour changes. "Even after the cameras are removed, we're seeing a longer term reduction of about five km/h per hour in speeds from those areas." Alberta is cutting back the program Sudbury launched its program last year with six mobile cameras and found a similar reduction in speed after the cameras were removed. In one example, a camera placed on a road with a 60 km/h speed limit dropped the average speed from 89 km/h to 62 km/h. In Alberta, the provincial government has set new rules limiting the use of photo radar to school, playground and construction zones. Alberta's provincial government will grant sites permission on a case-by-case basis in high collision areas. When the reduction was announced last year the minister responsible for the file called photo radar a "government cash cow." That shift has led to a $28 million shortfall in the Calgary Police Service budget. Windsor's plan, if approved, would see cameras rotated through community safety areas and designated school zones. The city will need to hire two full-time employees to run the program. and would partner with the City of Brampton to process the tickets. Brampton, which has an automated speed enforcement program, opened a $46 million centre to process tickets last year. What speed will get you a ticket? Windsor city staff have said these cameras are not currently available for purchase and can only be leased through an approved vendor. They will cost $1.3 million each year and the price is expected to be covered by the tickets they issue. And those tickets will be issued to the vehicle owner, not necessarily the driver. That's because cameras will not be able to identify who is behind the wheel; therefore, no demerit points will issued. City staff will set the speed to trigger a ticket but have yet to make that number public.
