Rochester Pulling Plug On City’s Red Light Cameras Program

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — The city of Rochester plans to pull the plug on its six-year-old red light camera program.

The Rochester City Council voted 6-3 Tuesday night to end the program at the end of this month. Mayor Lovely Warren earlier this month had called for ending the program that uses technology to issue tickets with $50 fines to motorists who drive through red lights.

Warren says the program "disproportionately affected the poorest of city residents."

She says the program annually generated $800,000 to $1 million.

Supporters of the program say it helped improve public safety and reduced accidents.

The city has a contract with a company that operates 48 cameras at 32 intersections throughout the city. That contract ends Dec. 31.

Tickets issued earlier this year and up until the program shuts down still have to be paid.

[STORY BY: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS]