Even though there’s just one camera currently operating, Essa Township’s automated speed enforcement (ASE) program may soon be expanding.
The program, which was initiated at the end of July, is designed to reduce speeders in community safety zones across the township.
When Essa launched the ASE program, it was focused on five community safety zones: Denney Drive, 25th Sideroad, 20th Sideroad, 5th Line and King Street.
The first camera to go live, which happened about a week ago, was on the 25th Sideroad, between the 9th and 10th Lines.
“Road safety is a top priority in Essa,” Colleen Healey-Dowdall, the township’s chief administrative officer, said via email. “The 25th Sideroad is our busiest road and carries the most volume of traffic.
“This is our first operational camera location and we’ll have another up in about a week,” she added.
Healey-Dowdall says the camera on the 25th Sideroad has generated about 30 tickets per day, on average.
“We believe that we are on track, at this early date, to match expenditures on this program,” she said.
Healey-Dowdall says that while most costs were covered by their partner Global Traffic, which owns the cameras and has provided the IT, there is a $65,000 allocation in the township’s budget related to enforcement.
The township has hired three new staff: a provincial offences officer, a screening officer and a hearing officer. Two existing staff members — the manager of public works and the township clerk — will oversee the program to address the traffic and legislative components, respectively.
“The projected revenue will exceed this amount if we only issue 30 tickets (per) day,” Healey-Dowdall said. “This is such a new program, we are not sure how many tickets will be issued in total.”
Healey-Dowdall says the program may add up to six more locations. As the locations are still being finalized, she didn’t provide any specific locations or timelines for the additional units.
ASE uses a camera and a speed-measurement device (radar) to enforce speed limits. The system captures and records images of vehicles travelling in excess of the posted speed limit in community safety zones, with tickets issued to the registered plate holder, regardless of who was driving. The registered plate holder will receive a monetary fine, but no demerit points will be applied.
Excluding the costs related to enforcement, the program costs township residents zero dollars and may, in the long run, contribute revenue to municipal coffers.
“Global Traffic operates and maintains the cameras at no cost to taxpayers,” said Michael Mikael, Essa's manager of public works. “The revenues from the fines generated from the program will be split evenly between the township and Global."
While initial results are positive and township officials see ASE as an integral part of the community safety program, Healey-Dowdall says ASE will never completely replace the need for police presence in Essa.
“Speeding is a high concern for council,” she said. “Regardless of the success of ASE, there is no intention to ask the Ontario Provincial Police to back off.”
