Photo radar decision ‘under consideration’

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This article was published 22/12/2011 (5075 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE man holding the future of photo radar in his hands said he needs more time to look into the “broader” issues before he decides whether to approve an almost four-year-old police request for the cameras to go digital.

Transportation Minister Steve Ashton said Tuesday the province is still considering whether to rewrite a provincial regulation that would allow police to switch from analogue or wet film cameras to digital cameras, as film quickly becomes obsolete.

Without the province’s legal blessing for digital cameras, police fear the photo enforcement program won’t be able to continue when the contract is up for renewal at the end of next year. Winnipeg is the last city in North America to use film for photo enforcement.

“I know they’ve raised concerns about its continued ability to operate after 2012,” Ashton said. “It’s under consideration. We’ll deal with it. But quite frankly, the bigger concern for certainly myself as minister and certainly for us as a province has been since we brought it in, is it working? Are any further enhancements needed to ensure it achieves its results?”

Ashton said the findings of a Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) report, released by police in July, raised concerns the intersection cameras have caused a rise in rear-end collisions as drivers brake quickly on amber lights at camera-monitored intersections. The TIRF study found rear-end collisions at red-light-camera intersections increased 15 per cent after the devices were installed, from 27 to 28 per month to 32 to 34 per month.

The province asked the city in July whether increased signage would help reduce rear-end crashes, but the city has not replied, Ashton said.

“I think in 2012, we’ll see some further modifications,” he said. “We’re clearly not looking at any expansion of photo radar.”

The TIRF report also found the intersection cameras cut down on right-angle collisions, but failed because of limited data to determine whether mobile photo radar cameras are effective in reducing overall speeding or collisions.

Spring and summer flooding and the Oct. 4 provincial election also delayed a decision, Ashton said.

Winnipeg police Chief Keith McCaskill said Tuesday he was concerned about the time it’s taking for the province to amend the regulation.

He said it’s his understanding the process of changing the wording of the rules could be done by Ashton without it needing to go to cabinet for approval.

Police need a decision before the current five-year contract with ACS Public Sector Solutions expires next year, McCaskill said.

Police intend to ask for tenders on a new photo enforcement contact, but to do that, they require that digital equipment be a specification in bids, he said.

He also said he has had no contact with Ashton on the matter.

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca