Barrie motorists caught in speed camera signage confusion

The City of Barrie is working to improve the clarity of signage when approaching speed camera zones after residents got ticketed for speeding despite not knowing which speed limit to follow.

"I don't speed. I have a very clean driving record," said Tim Lindhe, who was ticketed for driving 51 kilometres per hour in a speed camera zone on Big Bay Point Road.

The problem, Lindhe said, was that it was not clear that the limit has been reduced to 40 instead of 50. The lights on the sign were not flashing to indicate the speed drop, and there were multiple times during the day when the limit was reduced from 50 to 40.

"Other people were going the same speed. I was only doing [51]… one kilometre over the speed limit," Lindhe argued. "Because that's the speed limit when the lights are not flashing. Do I slow down to 40, or are we doing 50?"

Those flashing lights that indicate a speed reduction in school zones must be covered when automated speed cameras are active, according to the City, and were replaced with signs listing the times the speed limit drops from 50 to 40.

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Lindhe's situation is an example of what prompted city councillors to pass a mandate that will decrease the variety of signs for the two-speed camera zones in the city.

The speed limit will still decrease from 50 to 40 kilometres per hour in school zones, but rather than multiple snippets over the course of the day, it will simply run from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"I think it's really important that everything needs to be very clearly understood when entering these zones around schools," said Mayor Alex Nuttall. "Whether there's cameras there or not."

Despite the confusion caused by the traffic cameras, their purpose remains crystal clear. "Allowing for a safer environment for our children is paramount," Nuttall stated.

Jackie Richardson lives near the speed camera zone on Big Bay Point Road and said she's noticed a difference.

"People are lot slower," she said. "We're not hearing that fast racing up and down the street anymore. It's a lot safer."

The City of Barrie will continue operating two-speed camera zones. However, they are set to change locations at the end of February, with one moving to Essa Road near Timothy Christian School and the other to Ardagh Road near Heritage Baptist Church.