Brighton to implement speed cameras next month
Community Safety Zone-Municipality of Mississauga
By: Dan Jones, Northumberland 89.7 FM News, Local Journalism Initiative.
Brighton is one step closer to implementing its new automated speed enforcement program.
Council passed a bylaw Monday, as staff prepare for the program launch in the coming weeks.
In April, speed cameras were installed in school and community safety zones, advertising a 90-day program start timeframe.
Brighton Mayor Brian Ostrander said the intention of the program will be to reduce speed through vulnerable areas with fine enforcement.
“We want people to slow down on Elizabeth Street until such time as we can reconstruct the street and make it look like a 40 K/HR zone, which we know is not designed like that at the moment,” Ostrander said.
The automated system will capture and record the rate of speed the motor vehicle is travelling in the School Zone along Elizabeth Street, and will automatically issue tickets to the registered plate holder of the vehicle regardless of who was driving.
Demerit points will not be applied. The letter of citation will be mailed to the registered vehicle owner. The fines range from:
1 to 19 km over the limit is $5.00 per kilometre
20 to 29 km over the limit is $7.50 per kilometre
30 to 49 km over the limit is $12.00 per kilometre
50 kilometres per hour or more over the maximum speed limit is $19.50 per kilometre
Staff indicated that since the cameras were installed two months ago, 23,000 potential infractions were observed. There apparently is a buffer zone of a few kilometers to allow for individual vehicle speedometer accuracy.
But Ostrander stated that anyone who gets a ticket for slightly speeding to come see him about eliminating the fine.
“If you or anyone you know gets a speeding ticket from Brighton through the Automated Speed Enforcement System for going 45K/PH or less, you come see me,” Ostrander said.
Staff will have 23-days according to provincial guidelines to issue a ticket. They warn that tickets may be dismissed as licence plate covers are blocking AI readers from definitively identifying the licence plate.
On July 14, a “Camera in Use” sign will be installed to inform motorists that the camera is now active.
