New traffic cameras record 3,400 traffic violations on first day

AMMAN — The 22 new cameras that the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) started operating on Monday on the capital’s streets registered 3,400 traffic violations on their first day, a GAM official said Wednesday.

New cameras usually register many more violations than this number, noted Ayman Smadi, executive director of GAM’s transport and traffic department.

“The new cameras have achieved GAM’s goals of reducing road accidents, limiting speeding and improving traffic flow in their operating locations,” Smadi told The Jordan Times over the phone.

GAM previously announced that five of the cameras are installed at traffic lights, seven are fixed radar units and the rest are mobile radar units that can be placed on cars.

The cameras have been set up on the Mukhaddarat traffic light on Abu Baker Siddiq Street, the Ersal traffic light located at Al Quds Intersection, the Maslakh (slaughterhouse) traffic light on Jaish Street and two at the Queen Zein Al Sharaf intersection in the Sweifieh area.

The fixed radars are located on Prince Hashem Street near Abdoun Circle, Al Aqsa Street near the Civil Service Bureau premises, Shaheed Street in the Ain Ghazal area, Jaish Street on the Zarqa highway, Jordan Street, Abu Nseir Street and Hijaz Street in Dabouq.

“GAM will notify violating motorists of their tickets through SMS services and identify the location of the violation as well,” the official added.

Smadi said the cameras will help GAM identify areas of traffic jams to draw up plans to ease congestion.

The municipality, he added, has other plans to deal with traffic jams.

“GAM had to increase the duration of all red traffic lights on some intersections by up to four seconds to ensure that the intersection is empty before the next traffic light turns green.”

GAM has also awarded a tender to a company to install parking meters on the capital’s streets to organise car parking, noting that motorists will pay for this service.