WELLINGTON COUNTY – It took years of work and studies but the County of Wellington now has active automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras in four of its municipalities with the three more expected shortly.
At a media event Wednesday, members of the county’s roads committee, staff members and other councillors unveiled a “municipal speed camera in use” sign on Belsyde Avenue east of Highway 6 in Fergus, signalling the beginning of the county’s ASE program.
ASE cameras automatically give tickets to the owners of vehicles caught speeding beyond a particular threshold which roads committee chair Coun. Gregg Davidson said he couldn’t disclose.
“As a council, we’d be completely satisfied if no tickets were issued,” Davidson said. “As a former police officer, I know it’s unrealistic but that is the goal.”
The cameras are mounted onto hydro poles rather than being the mobile units which sit on the ground.
The locations of the four cameras that now could be live are:
- Fergus on Belsyde Avenue East between Tower Street South and McTavish Street
- Aberfoyle on Brock Road South between a point 225 metres north of Old Brock Road and a point 300 metres south of Old Brock Road
- Palmerston on Main Street between Henry Street and York Street
- Mount Forest on Sligo Road East between a point 50 metres west of Church Street North and a point 125 metres west of London Road North
The remaining three locations on Wellington Street South in Drayton, Main Street North in Rockwood and Trafalgar Road in Hillsburgh are expected to be operating shortly, said county engineer Don Kudo.
Revenue generated from the tickets are split between the ASE vendor Global Traffic Group and the county but Davidson said the exact split is confidential.
The fine amount is similar to what would be issued by a police officer, Davidson said.
Davidson also added there are processes in place to curb issues of drivers getting a bunch of tickets at a single time such as been seen in Guelph.
The ASE program is considered a pilot for the year and only involves the county and its roads for the time being. The program may be rolled out to include lower-tier municipalities and roads in the future.
By law, ASE cameras can only be installed in school zones and community safety zones.
