Drivers can expect more speed enforcement and red-light-turning rules across Hamilton this year, as the city boosts efforts to slow down vehicles.

If approved by council Wednesday, the city will double its automatic speed enforcement (ASE) cameras from four to eight, says a staff report. The cameras move neighbourhoods every couple of months. 

That recommendation was unanimously approved at a public works committee meeting earlier this month. 

“It’s going to address some long-standing concerns in the community and help to calm traffic and make streets safer,” Coun. Matt Francis (Ward 5) told the committee. “Honestly, if you don’t want a ticket, just don’t speed.” 

The four new cameras will cost about $510,000 up front, but each will generate about $375,000 a year in revenue in fines paid by drivers caught speeding, said the report. They can only be used in school or community safety zones, as mandated by the province.

If an ASE camera captures a driver speeding, it records images of the vehicle and a ticket is issued to the registered licence plate holder, regardless of who is behind the wheel, says the city’s website. 

The city began by using two ASE cameras in 2020. Data from that program shows that 10 to 30 per cent of drivers slow down when a camera is in the area, the report said. 

Cameras repeatedly vandalised 

Hamilton resident Pierre Roy spoke at the committee as a delegate and said eight cameras is “a step in the right direction,” but the city needs to take “bolder” action to address speeding. 

He noted the Region of Waterloo, which has a similar amount of roads as Hamilton, will have 27 ASE cameras by the end of the year. Nearly 56,000 tickets have been issued so far this year. 

The Ford government passed enabling regulations in 2019 that allowed municipalities to run speed camera programs but last week Premier Doug Ford said he is against ASE cameras and called them a “tax grab.”

He called for the City of Toronto to get rid of its speed cameras after reports some have been repeatedly cut down and damaged.

Mike Field, a Hamilton public works manager, said ASE cameras are an “important tool” for road safety and the city will continue to use them until they’re “no longer a viable option.” 

Field noted Hamilton’s four cameras have been vandalized 21 times from January to August and incidents are reported to police.

More ‘no turn on red’ signs comingwilson street sign with other traffic signsMore signs stopping drivers from turning right on red lights will roll out across the city. (Samantha Beattie/CBC)

Hamilton will also be increasing the number of intersections drivers are not allowed to turn at right lights, and in some cases left on to one-way streets. 

Out of the city’s 660 intersections with traffic signals and lights, 71 intersections currently have no turn on red signs, a staff report said. It was provided to councillors for information, meaning the plan doesn’t need council’s approval to go ahead. 

Many of these signs were added after pedestrians were hit on Main Street in recent years, including a 14-year-old girl who was critically injured and a woman in her 40s who was killed, both in 2022.

The city will also try using LED signs, which are easier for drivers to see and can be changed depending on the time.

Staff will continue to add the signs at busy intersections where it makes sense, said Field. There’s no a specific timeline for when they’ll all be installed.

The city will also continue adding leading pedestrian and bicycle intervals at intersections, giving people a head start to cross before vehicles are allowed to turn, the report said.Â