AUGUST 10, 1995
PHOTO RADAR COULD COST TAXPAYERS $43 MILLION

VANCOUVER -- Photo radar could result in 43 million dollars of revenue
flowing to one of the two companies bidding to supply the photo radar
cameras scheduled to be operational on B.C.'s highways by the new year.

Request-for-proposal documents obtained from the Motor Vehicle Branch
indicate that the Ministry is considering the inclusion in the contract
terms of a fee for each ticket issued.  Similar American contracts
typically provide for $CAD 27.00 per ticket to be paid to the service
provider.  This would reduce reported projected revenue by 43 million
dollars, on top of the substantial costs for police officers,
advertising, training in the use of the equipment, implementation of the
program, court costs, and computer systems, plus the intangible costs to
the Province and its citizens from increased travel time, loss of
tourism revenue, negative publicity, and so on. 

S.E.N.S.E. co-founder Ian Tootill said Tuesday, "since Jackie Pement,
Minister of Transportation and Highways, intends to hand out up to
1.6 million speeding tickets in the first year, generating $160 million
in revenue, this will be a direct cost of $43 million to British
Columbians.  Should the taxpayers of this Province be expected to pay
this much, or anything, for a program of such dubious value?"