ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: February 29, 1996
File No.: PRA 96-017
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Chief Constable
SUBJECT: Photo Radar in the City of Vancouver
RECOMMENDATION
THAT City Council endorse the use of photo radar by the Police
Department in the City of Vancouver.
COUNCIL POLICY
There is no Council policy regarding photo radar.
PURPOSE
The purpose is to obtain Council's endorsement of the use of photo radar
in the City of Vancouver.
BACKGROUND
This report has been written to acquaint Council with photo radar, which
is an innovative project developed with the intention of saving lives
and associated costs in Vancouver.
In May 1995, the Minister of Transportation and Highways, introduced a
package of traffic safety initiatives to reduce the death and injury
rate on British Columbia Highways. Included are programs directed at
drinking and driving, new drivers, unlicensed drivers, fines collection
and a variety of systems changes.
DISCUSSION
The Speed Management (Photo Radar) Initiative involves the use of 30
Speed Cameras throughout the province, 14 of which will be deployed in
the Lower Mainland. The first cameras will be in use by March 1, 1996.
The program will be fully operational by August 1996.
Speed Cameras have been in use world wide, resulting in marked
reductions in fatalities, injuries and associated costs. In the state
of Victoria, Australia a traffic safety program that included photo
radar resulted in a 46 per cent reduction in traffic crash fatalities
and a 36 per cent reduction in major injuries in a four-year period.
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Photo radar has been demonstrated to be effective in reducing crashes
wherever it has been introduced. This includes most of western Europe,
New Zealand and the cities of Edmonton and Calgary. Courts in Alberta
have ruled in favour of photo radar at every challenge over the last
four years.
Speed is a primary or major contributing factor in 40% of all injury
crashes in Vancouver. Speed is the most significant factor in
determining the severity of a crash. Photo radar increases both the
actual and perceived probability of being detected by the police for
speeding. The criteria for camera use includes many factors. Speed
Tolerances include a baseline tolerance at between 10 and 19 km over
the existing speed limits. The tolerance depends upon weather,
visibility and traffic conditions.
The Integrated Traffic Camera Unit (ITCU), comprised of members of the
RCMP and Municipal Police Departments will operate the program
throughout British Columbia. The Vancouver Police Department component
is a Sergeant and five Constables. Personnel costs are paid by the
Attorney General's Ministry under the terms of a Memorandum of
Understanding. Associated costs, including court duty, training,
recruiting and compensation are the responsibility of the Attorney
General.
Photo radar will be used in designated locations where there is either a
history of collisions or a documented concern about speeding. Members
will be restricted to operate photo radar cameras only where these bench
marks exist. A list of recommend sites in Vancouver is in Appendix "A".
The radar cameras being used have sufficient technological
sophistication to also compile traffic data. In addition to monitoring
traffic for speed violations, they can provide Engineering Services and
police traffic supervisors with detailed traffic data. The speed of
each vehicle, recorded in the computer, provides traffic flow patterns.
The set tolerances are programmed to only photograph vehicles exceeding
the tolerance.
There will be no reduction in the use of conventional radar and laser by
Vancouver Police traffic personnel. Traffic enforcement personnel will
be deployed more frequently to playground zones, school zones and
residential streets where speeding is determined to be a problem and the
area does not meet the criteria to use photo radar.
Photo radar has the endorsement of communities throughout British
Columbia. The Vancouver Police Board endorses the implementation of
photo radar. It is supported by the BC Association of Chiefs of Police,
BC Medical Association and the BC Automobile Association. Public
opinion polls conduced in Vancouver show that 75% of residents of
Vancouver favour the use of speed cameras. An Angus Reid survey in
March, 1995 showed that 70% of the British Columbians support the use of
photo radar.
SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Compliance with vehicle speed limits improves the livability of our
neighbourhoods. This should reduce the emotional distress suffered by
the families of victims of motor vehicle collisions, by reducing
accidents. Fewer and less severe admissions to Hospital Emergency wards
are likely to result from a reduction in accidents.
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PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS
The police in B.C. have made a commitment to operate the ITCU as a
unique blend of Municipal Police and RCMP personnel.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The six Vancouver Police members are paid by the Attorney General s
Ministry under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding. Related
costs, such as court, training and recruiting are the responsibility of
the Provincial Government. Therefore, there is no financial impact on
the City of Vancouver.
IMPLEMENTATION AND COMMUNICATION PLAN
The provincial government and ICBC have an extensive communications plan
to advise the public of the introduction of photo radar.
CONCLUSION
Photo radar has been demonstrated to significantly reduce deaths and
serious injuries that result from traffic crashes. The introduction of
photo radar will save lives in Vancouver and reduce injuries. The speed
of traffic in the city will be reduced.
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APPENDIX A
RECOMMENDED PHOTO RADAR SITES IN VANCOUVER
Blenheim - 33rd to 16th
Broadway - Boundary to Renfrew
Burrard Bridge - to Nelson
Cambie Bridge - to Marine
Clark/Knight corridor
Fraser - 49th to Marine
Georgia Viaduct
Granville - 16th to Marine
Great Northern Way
Hastings - Renfrew to Cassiar
Kerr - 41st to Marine
King Edward
Kingsway - Victoria to Boundary
McGill - Nanaimo to Renfrew
Marine - SE and SW
Nanaimo - Kingsway to McGill
Oak - 33rd to Marine
Prior - Venables to Viaduct
Renfrew - 1st to McGill
Stanley Park Causeway
Terminal - Main to Clark
Victoria - 49th to Marine
1st - Clark to Boundary
2nd Narrows Bridge
16th - Arbutus to Blanca
41st
49th