With a provincial ban starting Friday, the City of Stratford will no longer enter into a contract to use automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras in the community.
Mayor Martin Ritsma said city council gave direction to staff to enter into a contract to do just that, however, it never ended up coming to fruition, even before talk of a province-wide ban.
Ritsma noted some municipalities reported decreases in speeding through speed camera enforcement, but Premier Doug Ford vocally opposed them, calling them a “cash grab”.
The province says it’s investing $210 million for proven road safety measures in school and community safety zones that don’t raise costs for drivers and money will be provided for traffic-calming infrastructure where municipal speed cameras were previously used.
That includes measures like speed bumps, raised crosswalks, roundabouts, high visibility signage, and increased police enforcement in school and community safety zones.
Ritsma said he believes speeds are excessive on the city’s major thoroughfares – Ontario Street, Erie Street and Huron Street.
“I think it’s more beneficial than reducing speed limits on roads,” said Ritsma. “It’s an enforcement piece. A tool that we desperately could use in our community.”
– with files from Richard Coffin/Vista Radio
