BRADENTON, Fla. (WFLA) – The Bradenton City Council decided to shut down its current red light cameras. The council wants to hire a new operator.
Since 2009 the city has had a contract with Xerox to run its seven red light cameras. The contract expired Tuesday, and commissioners say they were unhappy with the results of the program.
Councilman Patrick Roff questioned the effectiveness of the cameras. I’s important to stop red light runners, he said. However, the cameras were not placed in the right intersections, he said. Roff said there are more dangerous intersections that should’ve received cameras.
“The general public doesn’t buy that they’re for public safety. They think it’s a scam, and we need to get beyond that and really promote that this is for public safety,” Roff said.
In addition, the cameras are seven years old, and the city council wants to find better technology. “The technology that exists today in this arena is just lightyears ahead of what it was when we put the original contract,” Roff said.
As of 11:50 on Tuesday afternoon, the red light cameras will no longer be ticketing drivers in Bradenton. In the meantime, council members will start looking for a new operator.
“I’m all about public safety and that’s what this job is for, to make sure we keep the public safe and that’s the most important thing is to do what’s right,” Councilman Gene Brown said.
Melissa Wandall’s husband Mark was killed by a red light runner in 2003. Wandall is happy the city council is still committed to red light cameras, but she is a little concerned that they will be off for a few weeks.
“City council, please, make this a priority; don’t wait,” Wandall said.
She feels these cameras are an effective tool to save lives. “(These cameras are) about the value of a human life. And they were retraining people’s brains on how to stop on red again,” Wandall said.
City officials say it could take a few months before new red light cameras will be in operation.
