Belleville Mayor Neil Ellis says he disagrees with Premier Doug Ford on the issue of speed cameras.
Ford announced on Thursday that the provincial government will introduce legislation next month to ban the use of Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) speed cameras across the province, describing them in recent weeks as nothing more than a “cash grab”, and suggesting that they are ineffective in slowing traffic.
Ellis says he disagrees with that characterization.
“We will need to use alternate traffic-calming measures. I disagree with the Premier that it’s a money grab, and the money that is generated is being used to help doctor recruitment and to reduce taxes by 1%. That money will now need to be found elsewhere.
I think overall a lot of the concerns over the cameras were about improper signage which was something that could have been addressed.
The use of speed cameras in Belleville has slowed traffic quite a bit, but some people have expressed concerns about hours of use and signage and people have different opinions.” said Ellis.
Ford says the same reductions in speed can be accomplished by municipalities using flashing lights (especially in school zones), speed bumps, raised crosswalks and roundabouts.
The Premier also framed the dispute as an “affordability issue”, saying that the fines are making life more expensive for people in Ontario.
There are currently more than 700 speed cameras operating in 40 municipalities across Ontario, including four in ten safety zones in Belleville.
(PAUL MARTIN)
