CLERMONT, Fla. – Clermont City Council voted to eliminate its red light cameras after they say it turned into a "fiasco."
Officials say they originally thought red-light cameras would deter people from running lights and causing crashes. But instead, they have encountered angry residents.
"This is a fiasco. We want out of this situation," said Commissioner Rick van Wagner, who led the charge to have the cameras removed.
Van Wagner said the majority of the tickets issued are not for people driving through intersections, but for people turning right on a red light.
"I'd encourage other cities as well that might be in this situation. It's not helping the public, it's not safety really get rid of it," he said.
The city is eight months into a three-year contract with the manufacturer, American Traffic Solutions. The six cameras cost the city $443,000 a year to operate and expect to bring in $335,000 in revenue, leaving the city owing $109,000 per year.
The cameras are still up and running in Clermont, as the city has only notified the company they don't want to renew the current contract. The cameras have not been taken down.