A Toronto city council committee has approved a plan to make it more expensive for drivers to block or delay rush hour traffic.
The Public Works and Infrastructure Committee voted on Wednesday to support a plan that will more than double fines associated with stopping or parking vehicles on city streets during peak traffic times.
The committee voted 3-2 in favour of increasing traffic fines for illegally parking or idling to $150 from as low as $40 during rush hour.
The motion suggests creating new offenses prohibiting stopping, standing or parking a vehicle during rush hour periods, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.
Currently, motorists are fined $40 for illegally parking and $60 for stopping or standing in traffic, with no difference noted for offenses committed during rush hour.
According to the proposal from the city's general manager of transportation, the increase in fines would deter illegal stopping and parking and improve the flow of traffic on the road as well as on bike lanes.
Ironically, the motion suggests that if the increased fines work as an effective deterrent, it could result in fewer parking tickets being issued and therefore less money in city coffers.
The proposal must now be voted on by city council.
With files from CTV Toronto's Colin D'Mello. Follow him on Twitter at @ColinDMello.
