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Costing...Taxpayers Money': Council Votes Out Red-Light Traffic Cameras After 2 Years

Costing...Taxpayers Money': Council Votes Out Red-Light Traffic Cameras After 2 Years

"...cameras were not in a break-even mode."

In 2010, the city of Westminster in Maryland installed five traffic cameras to catch those who may be rolling through red lights at certain intersections. Now, after only two years in use, the city council in the town has voted to deactivate them completely.

(Related: Florida Judge Ruling Finds Red Light Cameras Unconstitutional)

Police Chief Jeff Spaulding told the local CBS affiliate WJZ that the cameras were just costing taxpayers, instead of preventing accidents and generating revenue as intended.

“These cameras were not in a break-even mode. They were literally costing the city taxpayers money,” Spaulding told WJZ. It cost the city $2,200 each day to operate one red light camera.

(Related: 'Embarrassing' Source of Revenue?: New York Could Institute Speed Cameras)

In fact, the report states the cameras could have been causing even more accidents than they were preventing. Here's more from the local station:

In the two years they’ve been up, police say there were 11 serious crashes and 35 fender benders.

“These numbers are not characteristic of red light programs,” Spaulding said.

In 2010, the city installed five red light cameras. And within the year, they took down two. And now they’ve shut off two more because of a low number of citations and high number of collisions.

Watch the report:

How do residents feel about the cameras being deactivated? Some said the cameras wouldn't deter them from coasting through a yellow light, while others think the cameras would have helped stop this.

One of the five cameras is expected to remain active as it has actually help cut down on accidents. WJZ reports no additional cameras are expected to be installed or tested elsewhere at this time.

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