Fast staff: Edmonton city workers caught by photo radar in 2018

City of Edmonton employees were nabbed 308 times in 2018 by photo radar for violating traffic rules.

Of that number, 111 tickets were handed out to city bus drivers, either Edmonton Transit Services or DATS.

Coun. Andrew Knack said it's important for all drivers to pay attention to the signs.

"Any number above zero is probably a concern especially when it comes to it being city staff who are driving city vehicles," he said. "So I mean it's a concern. My hope and expectation is that that would already be addressed."

The city should be able to identify the drivers and giveadditional driver training for repeat offenders, Knack said.

Of the 308 tickets given to city employees, 140 tickets were issued in playground zones, which have a30 km/h limit between 7:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. Roughly half of the playground zone tickets were issued to ETS operators.

Drivers are still getting accustomed to the 30 km/h playground zonesestablished in the fall of 2017, said Rowan Anderson, ETS spokesperson.

"It's been an ongoing learning curve and transition for all motorists, not just transit operators," Anderson said in an email to CBC News. "However, ETS' goal is to always be in compliance with all traffic regulations."

In December, city council agreed to remove between 20 and 30 playground zones deemed ineffective or confusing.

• Council eliminating some of Edmonton's 30-km/h playground zones
• Edmonton to re-evaluate some contentious playground zones

Last week, council agreed to removeone on Mill Woods Road from 85th Street to 91st Street and another on 95th Avenue from 165th Street and 167th Street at Westlawn School.

Knack suggested the city could put up more digital signs that show motorists how fast they're driving.

"We've seen great compliance where those have been installed," he said. "People have been able to say 'Oh I didn't realize that I've entered a school zone, thank goodness for that sign, I better slow down and get to my 30-K an hour."

Motorists tend toobeythe speed limit about 10 per cent more on streets with digital displaysthan those without the signs, he said.

• Fewer photo radar tickets means safer streets, but leaner traffic safety budget, city says
• Photo radar under review by Alberta government

Compared to 308 tickets issued to city employees, some516,920 tickets were issued to motorists city-wide.

A total of 15,523 tickets were issued to motorists caught, by camera, running red lights.

The city has roughly 1,000 buses that drive more than45 million kilometres every year, Anderson noted.

@natashariebe