Wellington County pauses speed camera pilot expansion

While Waterloo Region hems and haws over the issue of speed cameras, a neighbouring municipality is putting a pin in plans to expand a pilot program.

A report was presented to the County of Wellington‘s roads committee on Tuesday, looking at the feasibility of expanding the automated speed enforcement pilot project to an additional ten locations, the five currently in operation.

Included in the report were the findings of the pilot project so far. County Engineer Don Kudo told 570 NewsRadio, the early numbers are encouraging.

“The preliminary results after approximately three and a half months indicates a reduction in overall average speed at the five locations we have by about 17 per cent and the compliance with the speed limit has increased by 66 per cent in those five locations.”

Yet despite the positive results, staff recommended the expansion be halted.

“Infrastructure needs for hydro servicing would make it a bit challenging to implement these new locations. It was also thought the seven locations, one located in each of the seven municipalities in the county, would provide sufficient data to complete the one-year trial program,” said Kudo.

Two more cameras were in the process of being installed at the time of the report. One in Rockwood could come online any day now. The second in Hillsburgh is expected to be installed by the end of May.

Wellington County Council will still have to approve the recommendation.

The next full council meeting is scheduled for May 29.