‘Summer of speeding’ has councillors concerned

Summerside City Councillors have directed city staff to look at new ways to monitor speeding incidents on the city’s roadways. “Based on anecdotal evidence, I’d call this summer ‘the summer of speeding,” said the city’s chief administrative officer, Bob Ashley.

At a recent Summerside Committee of Council meeting councillors raised their concerns about recent speeding a traffic flow issues that have occurred in the city in recent months. Ashley says there is a number of new technology options and methods in place to monitor speeding, but with the current highway traffic laws in the province, they may not result in a charge against a driver.

In addition, he also noted Island drivers aren’t required to have front license plates on their cars. He suggested that, before the city invest in new methods or technology, it address concerns with the province and the possibility of updating the provincial Highway Traffic Act regulations.

Sinclair Walker, the deputy chief of police in Summerside, said that when Summerside police receive a complaint of speeders they send out officers to patrol the area. Then they’ll also set up their speed radar dollies, of which they have two. Walker added Summerside’s police force responds to nearly the same amount of calls as the Charlottetown department, which has more members. “Our department hasn’t been expanded upon really since amalgamation.”

Councillors advised staff to look further into other means of patrolling speeders, controlling traffic flow issues as well as possible need to expand the police department.