City council's finance chairman says Winnipeg should get rid of red-light cameras when the existing operating contract expires, pending the results of a review of the controversial devices.
St. James-Brooklands Coun. Scott Fielding said the city should scrap the automated photo-enforcement program in 2013 and spend the $5.5 million to hire 50 new police officers instead -- and use the revenue from any speeding tickets they hand out to pay for more policing.
"I think we can do a much better job of policing with 50 more officers," Fielding said Thursday following a finance committee meeting where councillors learned photo-enforcement revenue is once again failing to meet budget projections.
By the end of 2011, photo-enforcement revenue is expected to be $2.2 million under budget, according to a financial status report for the city accounts as of June 30. The city budgeted to collect a total of $10.9 million worth of red-light camera revenue this year.
This target was reduced by $100,000 from 2010, when the city planned to rake in $11 million. The year before that, in 2009, photo-enforcement revenue wound up $3.8 million shy of its $14-million target.
"People seem to know where the locations are," Winnipeg chief financial officer Mike Ruta surmised to the finance committee. The city will conduct a full cost-benefit analysis of its photo-enforcement program before it decides whether to renew its contract with provider ACS Public Sector Solutions in 2013, he said.
River Heights-Fort Garry Coun. John Orlikow, who was first elected in 2009, said he finds it disturbing to see the photo-enforcement budget fail to meet projections twice in the three years he's had the opportunity to peruse finance reports.
Fielding went even further, noting officers in mobile cars can do more than just catch speeders, but nab the occasional person wanted on an outstanding warrant following a traffic violation.
"This is not just about money or safety, but a style of policing. I like the idea of people on the street," he said.
The Winnipeg Police Service has always maintained red-light cameras were installed to promote safety, as opposed to generating revenue for the city. In fact, it appears to do both.
After analyzing 14 years' worth of Winnipeg collision data, the Ottawa-based Traffic Injury Research Foundation declared in July "there is strong evidence" photo-enforcement cameras have cut down the number of often-fatal collisions known as T-bone crashes since the city installed the devices at 48 intersections.
The City of Winnipeg-commissioned study found the number of collisions at red-light-camera intersections dropped 46 per cent after the devices were installed, from a monthly average of 10 or 11 to a monthly average of five to six.
The same study, however, concluded rear-end collisions increased at red-light-camera intersections after the devices were installed, increasing 15 per cent to 32 to 34 per month from 27 to 28 per month, due to the "kangaroo effect" of motorists slamming on the brakes.
The Traffic Injury Research Foundation and the Winnipeg Police Service conclude red-light cameras have had a positive net effect on safety in Winnipeg.
The study was unable to determine the effectiveness of mobile-enforcement cameras operated by officers. The technology used to determine whether vehicles slowed down -- devices entirely separate from the cameras themselves -- did not capture data consistently, researchers conceded.
Fielding nonetheless said he's inclined to favour mobile cameras. He said he will back off his position in 2013 if the city review concludes automated photo enforcement remains worthwhile.
But he also noted the city gets to keep more of the revenue officers collect from mobile cameras. A portion of the red-light camera ticket revenue is shared with the province, he said.
The last time the city's photo-enforcement revenue exceeded budget projections significantly was 2008, when fines were increased and the city placed mobile cameras near construction sites. That year, photo-enforcement revenue was $2.3 million in the black.
bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/scrap-traffic-cams-city-finance-boss-129938923.html
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