Photo radar to go to a vote in Morinville, Alta.

Residents of a bedroom community north of Edmontonwill soon decide whether they wantphoto radar in their town.

In December900 Morinville residents, who make up 10 per cent of the town's population, signed a petition to eliminatephoto radarand red light cameras.

The petition argues that all traffic enforcement should be done either by a peace officer or RCMP member, thus eliminating the need for photo radar and red light cameras.

Council doesnt want the vote to pass because it has worked for the town.

About 8,000tickets were issued in 2009, the first year photo radar was used. In 2013, only 3,000 tickets were given.

Photo radar has also provided much needed revenue to help with their community cultural centre and traffic safety initiatives for youth, saidMayor Lisa Holmes.

This conversation is really about traffic safety and what people expect to have in a community. So if we remove the tool of photo radar from our toolbox, well have to replace it with something else, she said.

Replacing the equipment with officers to police speeders could end up costing the town more money, she said.

Dave Schaefer, Director of Corporate Operations agrees. Having equipment like this can better help catch those who violate traffic rules, he said.

A lot of the new technology incorporates photo technology. Its hard to deny a picture. Thats why you see the police and the peace officers wearing cameras, he said.

The referendum will be held on April 14. If the vote passes,the town of Morinville will enact a bylaw and immediately cease the use of photo radar for a period ofthree years.

According to Holmes, the vote willcost between$10,000 and$20,000, similar to theamount of money needed to hold an election.