The City of Toronto’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan, targeted at reducing traffic-related fatalities and injuries, will soon see one of its initiatives implemented in Leaside.
Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) systems, also known as photo radar, were evaluated in pilot projects across the city from September to December, 2018. Focused on altering driver behaviour, the systems aim to decrease speed and increase safety, with the goal of reducing traffic-related deaths and injuries to zero.
They do this by using a camera and a speed measurement device to detect and capture images of vehicles travelling above the posted speed limit.
Each ward in the city has two cameras installed. In Leaside, Bessborough Drive between Field Avenue and Sharron Drive (i.e. in front of Bessborough School) has been chosen as one of the area’s target spots for speed reduction. The other camera in the ward is being installed by Bedford Park School in the Yonge and Lawrence area.
During the first three months the camera is in place, warning notices will be mailed to registered owners of vehicles travelling above the speed limit of 30 km/hour. After the three-month warning period, speeders will be mailed tickets.
The city anticipates rotating the systems every three to six months in zones near schools to deter speeding in multiple locations.
Don Valley West Councillor Jaye Robinson notes that she is “pleased to see this important road safety initiative being rolled out in Leaside. In other major municipalities, ASE has proven to be an extremely effective road safety tool. In New York City, ASE has successfully reduced traffic fatalities near schools by more than 50% and speeding by 60%.”
The camera, already installed on Bessborough Drive, was set to be operational by the end of January.
