Malahat cameras are not needed

Re: “Province seeks to measure support for Malahat speed cameras,” Feb. 16.

As a frequent user of the Malahat, I oppose installation of speed cameras. British Columbians voted against speed cameras years ago, and they would distract people from the real issues that should have been addressed in a much more timely fashion.

The highway definitely should be divided with concrete barriers to prevent head-on collisions and ultimately with progressive construction projects and modern engineering should be four lanes and divided from Leigh Road through the Goldstream section and all the way up to Mill Bay.

We have to emphasize strongly the importance of the Trans-Canada Highway for tourism and commerce for the Island and the Capital Regional District. On that basis, it deserves steps to increase volume, flow and safety.

The economic benefits of more efficient delivery of goods and services and better safety would soon repay the public costs to increase capacity. Single-lane sections allow dawdlers, large transport vehicles or tourist RVs to hold up efficient traffic flow. A single-lane accident holds up traffic for hours to the only up-Island artery that exists.

The south Shawnigan intersection improvements are laudable, especially with the creation of a separate left-turning lane and an entry merge lane.

Even without speed cameras, the police are able to ticket speeders and reckless drivers, just as they do on all busy highways. Essentially, they use the same technologies as speed cameras, but people don’t like automatic ticketing and view it as a government ripoff.

David Kinloch, MD Shawnigan Lake