Alexandria issuing refunds for erroneous red light tickets on Duke Street

If you or a loved one have gotten a red light ticket at Duke and South Walker streets you may be entitled to financial compensation.

The City of Alexandria is dismissing erroneously issued red-light speeding citations from the intersection and providing full refunds to impacted customers. The city said camera was not using the 0.5 seconds of amnesty required by law.

The intersection is located just south of the Development Formerly Known as Landmark.

“The refunds come after a review showed the red-light speeding camera at Duke and South Walker streets was issuing tickets without an amnesty period of 0.5 seconds,” the City of Alexandria said in a press release. “Virginia law requires all automated red-light enforcement cameras to incorporate this amnesty period, meaning that citations will not be issued until a light turns red and 0.5 seconds have elapsed.”

The city said the error was discovered by Redflex Group, a contractor that operates the city’s red-light camera program.

“A comprehensive review concluded that — between January 26, 2016 and October 4, 2019 — 4,709 citations were inadvertently issued and $187,673.35 in fines were collected,” the city said. “The total number of erroneous citations issued accounts for less than a half percent (.047%) of all citations issued during the same period.”

The city said customers affected by the error who paid their fine will be mailed a letter describing how to process their refund.

“For more information, contact the photo enforcement customer service call center at 877 847 2338, from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and follow the prompts,” the city said. “Before calling, please have your citation number or the vehicle’s license plate information (at the time of the citation) available.”

In the meantime, the city said new safeguards will be put into place, including monthly and quarterly operational audits to ensure the cameras are in compliance with Virginia Law.

Photo via Google Maps