Winnipeg police rake in highest ever from photo radar tickets: $14M

A recent budget report shows the Winnipeg Police Service brought in more money in 2014 than ever before when it comes to photo enforcement — $14 million.

The reason? Higher fines for speeding in construction and school zones.

• Pricey tickets spike in Winnipeg construction zones
• Winnipeg police crack down in new school zone speed limits

Reduced speed limits of 30 km/h came into effect near schools across the city in the fall, while fines in construction zone fines were doubled last May.

As well, drivers started facing fines for failing to slow down when passing construction zones whether workers were present or not.

Speeding past a construction zone nets a ticket of $300 and speeding in a school zone will set you back $180 to $300.

The total revenue from photo enforcement amounts to 25 per cent more than the previous year, according to the report, which will be reviewed at a meeting of the Winnipeg Police Board on Friday.

The amount of fines being collected by police even surprised Coun. Scott Gillingham, who chairs the police board.

"I don't know that the service could have anticipated what would happen and the behaviour of drivers," said Gillingham, the councillor for St. James-Brooklands-Weston.

"This fourth-quarter report from 2014 does show that unfortunately, there [were] too many people that were speeding through school zones."

Gillingham said he doesn't know if the increase has to do with drivers simply not catching on to the speed limit changes.

Some drivers, like Joseph Garcia, admit they sometimes forget to slow down in areas with reduced speed limits. However, Garcia said he understands the importance of slowing down at school zones.

"It's something that you have to take seriously," said Garcia, who lives near Grant Avenue.

Other drivers say they've learned the hard way. David Hazlitt said he's slowed down since he received a hefty fine for speeding through a construction zone a couple years ago.

"Age has slowed me down," he said with a chuckle. "I don't have as much aggression, so I don't have to be anywhere fast."