“Speeding has been an ongoing concern that is frequently voiced by County residents,” said David Bailey, Mayor for the County of Brant. “By employing Automated Speed Enforcement, we are confirming our commitment to keeping our residents safe.”
The first ASE system will be implemented on Silver Street in Paris on October 1, 2024, in front of North Ward Elementary School. From September to December 2024, the County will be undertaking a pilot training program, and no tickets will be issued to drivers violating the speed limits during this period. Fines will begin in early 2025 and drivers will be notified that cameras are in use with updated signage.
“Coming soon” signage has been installed at the location and a community education campaign is being implemented to highlight the details of the system. A new page has also been created on the County of Brant’s website to provide more information and answer frequently asked questions.
“We hope that the community understands that systems such as these are put in place to enhance road safety by reducing vehicle speeds,” said Bailey. “We see Automated Speed Enforcement as another tool in the Brant Safe Streets toolbox.”
The County is planning to gradually add ASE devices in all School and Community Safety Zones. Locations will be prioritized by evaluating speeding and collision data, pedestrian frequency and safety, nearby industry, vehicle volume, and more.
Research and the experiences of other municipalities show the many benefits of Automated Speed Enforcement, including:
- Allows for 24/7 monitoring and enforcement without the need for constant police presence.
- When compared to other traditional enforcement tactics, Automated Speed Enforcement is a cost-efficient option for municipalities.
- Research shows a reduction in accidents, injuries, and fatalities associated with decreased speeding.
- Citations are issued to a greater proportion of violators than traditional police enforcement.
- Less court/officer time required per infraction when compared to traditional enforcement programs.
- The overall vehicle speeds and the number of vehicles travelling over the speed limit decrease when Automated Speed Enforcement was implemented.
- Residents have an increased trust in traffic enforcement fairness and effectiveness.
- Speed cameras have safety benefits over 500 metres or more from the speed camera site.
The focus of the ASE program is safety and reducing speeds in Community Safety Zones, which include school zones. The goal of a successful ASE program is to be revenue neutral, meaning that the revenues would at least cover the operating and maintenance costs for the ASE program and to not use taxpayer funding. If the program does generate any revenue, the revenue will be placed in a reserve fund that will be used for other road safety initiatives in the County, including expanding the program to other Community Safety Zones.
Additional systems will be added in 2025, with promotion through the County of Brant website, social media channels, printed media, signage and other means.
