No clear picture on future of photo radar
Photo radar catches motorists when they’re not paying close enough attention.
The Saskatchewan Party government and the province’s municipalities seem to be taking the same approach when it comes to the future of photo radar.
The Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) twoyear pilot project to install photo radar cameras to ticket speeding vehicles wrapped up more than a year ago in March 2017.
We still don’t know the future of photo radar, but it’s a fair bet that neither the provincial government nor municipal politicians want to let it become a 2020 election issue.
SGI introduced the pilot project in late 2014 with a very narrow scope: School zones with vulnerable children and high-speed roadways where it’s dangerous for an officer to try to pull drivers over.
Only well-marked locations in Saskatoon, Regina and Moose Jaw got cameras, including Circle Drive.
When the pilot project ended, SGI announced photo radar would continue until a further decision was made on its future.
SGI indicated it would look at the data to determine whether the program was successful, but added that two years is generally not long enough to reach a sound conclusion.
Since then, photo radar has continued to operate unabated in the prescribed locations as Saskatchewan awaits SGI’S final report on the experiment.
Interestingly, a page on SGI’S website that purports to answer frequently asked questions says: “In July 2018, the government announced the photo speed enforcement program will continue on a permanent basis.”
The link to a news release on the announcement does not work, and there appears to have been no such official announcement in July.
In June, a City of Saskatoon report revealed the city and the province are discussing the possibility of expanding the photo radar program.
The province responded by acknowledging it is “currently reviewing options” on photo radar, but has made no final decision on changes — unless you believe the page on SGI’S website.
One option floated by SGI last year was to allow cities to pursue their own programs.
What might expansion or options look like?
Mayor Charlie Clark suspects it would only mean more cameras in school zones, where few seem prepared to oppose it.
Clark pointed out in June that red-light cameras in Saskatoon remain at four and have not expanded dramatically since their introduction in 2005.
Since the government of Premier Scott Moe has offered no clue what options it is considering — other than its usual script about consulting municipalities and “stakeholders” — folks’ imaginations can accelerate at will without fear of a speeding ticket.
We’ve been told the goal of photo radar is solely safety and not to rack up revenues.
Should photo radar expand beyond its current scope, that defence loses credibility.
The City of Edmonton, for example, has expanded photo radar to more than 100 locations; concerns are widespread that it is being abused to raise money.
The province of Ontario has introduced minimal photo radar in school zones after an electoral history that has made full-blown use of photo radar unpalatable in Canada’s largest province.
Some in Saskatoon would like to see it expanded to monitor residential streets.
A resident who lives on Spadina Crescent asked about the possibility this summer.
Coun. Mairin Loewen, who represents the Avalon neighbourhood, also inquired whether it’s a possible solution to vexing concerns about speed on Glasgow Street.
Last week, Candace Savage of the Northeast Swale Watchers repeated her request to monitor motorists on the roadway through the swale that will open in October, for the safety of both wildlife and drivers.
Is there widespread support for expanded photo radar?
The Sask. Party government that saw fit to engage in a well-publicized public online consultation on legalized marijuana could do the same for photo radar.
Is such a survey subject to distortion by special interest groups?
Yes, just like the marijuana survey was.
No survey is perfect.
As a rural-based party, however, the Sask. Party probably wants to avoid the perception it is imposing a potentially unpopular program on the province’s cities without consulting the public.