By Olivia Anderson | oanderson@alextimes.com

The City of Alexandria is issuing refunds for erroneous red-light speeding tickets that were given over a three-and-a-half-year period, according to a news release.

The refunds follow a review that showed a red-light speeding camera at Duke and South Walker streets issued tickets without the 0.5-second amnesty period required by Virginia law.

A comprehensive review by Redflex Group, the contractor that operated the city’s automated red-light camera program at the time, revealed that a programming error led to 4,709 citations being erroneously issued between Jan. 26, 2016 and Oct. 4, 2019. A total of $187,673.35 in fines were collected in that time, according to the release.

In response, the city has implemented monthly and quarterly operational audits to safeguard against future programming errors and ensure compliance with Virginia law.

Those affected by the error will receive a mailed letter describing how to process the refund and are encouraged to contact the photo enforcement customer service call center at 877-847- 2338 with their citation number or vehicle identification information.