NASHVILLE – A legislative critic of traffic cameras warned today that Red Bank officials may have outsmarted themselves by passing a 12-year extension of the city’s photo-enforcement contract with American Traffic Solutions in advance of likely state restrictions.
“The bottom line is whether they realize it or not what they’ve done is just given a whole lot of fuel and a whole lot of ammunition to the crowd that wants to ban (the cameras) outright all across the state,” said Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough.
House Transportation Committee members recently approved a menu of new restrictions on use of the traffic surveillance cameras, used to nab red-light scofflaws and speeders.
The proposals, which would have to be approved by the General Assembly before taking effect, include a two-year moratorium on new contracts for installation of photo enforcement cameras or on the renewal of existing contracts when they expire.
They also include a ban on traffic camera companies collecting a percentage of fines. Other provisions include a graduated fee schedule on fines, which now have a $50 limit. The new schedule would limit fines to $10 on first offense, $25 on second offense and $50 on third and subsequent offenses.