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."

Knack said the city should be able to identify the drivers and give additional driver training for repeat offenders.

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

ETS spokesperson Rowan Anderson said drivers are still getting accustomed to the 30 km/h playground zones established in the fall of 2017.

"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.

Last week, council agreed to remove one 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."

He said motorists tend to obey the speed limit about 10 per cent more on streets with digital displays than those without the signs.

Compared to 308 tickets issued to city employees, some 516,920 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 than 45 million kilometres every year, Anderson noted.

@natashariebe