The Calgary Police Service is correcting speeding ticket data released to Global News last week, blaming the erroneous report on a clerical error.
CPS said on Sept. 4 that 76,390 tickets had been issued for violations in construction zones — accounting for a 1,300 per cent increase compared to 2017. Officials said 36,422 of those had been issued in zones where workers were present.
The actual number of tickets issued in zones where workers were present is significantly lower, according to the corrected data, coming in at 10,443 — just shy of 26,000 tickets fewer than originally reported.
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The rest of the data, the number of violations for speeding in marked construction zones and the number of tickets issued for speeding past emergency vehicles, was correct.
Police said in the past three years, the number of resources deployed in construction zones hasn’t changed but said the deployment has been “adjusted to ensure enforcement is best used to address areas of concerns for both public safety and the safety of construction workers.”
CPS added that the increases in the number of tickets can be attributed to a number of factors, including the magnitude, scope and duration of construction projects. It also said better coordination between officers and construction managers could account for increases, as many construction sites have spaces built into them for police vehicles.
Construction zone speed limit signage is put out by City of Calgary staff and the limits are then enforced by Calgary police.
Calgary’s default speed limit is 50 km/h.
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