California city council stops traffic cameras at red lights

A California city plans to take down cameras used to collect evidence of vehicles running red lights at two major intersections.

The Encinitas City Council voted not to renew a contract with camera provider Redflex, ending a program that has operated for about 15 years, The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

The contract is scheduled to expire Wednesday.

Encinitas has cameras at two intersections on El Camino Real, which were installed in 2004 and 2005.

Councilman Joe Mosca, who voted to end the program, said the city 26 miles north of San Diego should have taken down the cameras long ago when it became evident there was limited accident-prevention benefit.

“Nothing has changed, and hundreds of people are still getting these ridiculous fines,” Mosca said, referring to the $ 490 cost of a ticket.

Instead of ticketing people, the city should increase the yellow- light period on traffic lights and make other intersection changes, Mosca said

Councilman Tony Kranz disagreed and voted in favor of retaining the program. Increasing the length of the yellow lights will not end the behavior of people trying to hurry through and beat red lights, he said.

The city pays $10,200 per month for the Redflex camera contract, as well as expenses associated with issuing tickets.

The annual break-even revenue point is $209,000 and the city has achieved that and sometimes far exceeded the figure for at least the past six years, a city staff report said.