The fine will be stiffer when caught riding an ATV on the Roanoke Canal Trail.

The infraction will now carry a $500 fine following unanimous approval by city council this evening and was among several changes OK'd by the panel.

The Canal Trail fine was formerly set at $25. “We're trying to put some bite into it,” police Chief Chuck Hasty said following the meeting. “We don't want them tearing up the Canal Trail.”

Meanwhile, council set a new fine for violations of the traffic code. That fine will now be $50 for the following violations:

Speeding

Failure to obey a stop sign or stoplight

Muffler violation

Signals on starting, stopping or turning

Too close to corner

Blocking a marked driveway

No parking zone

Twelve inches from curb

Left side of curb

Outside lines

Two-hour parking on Roanoke Avenue uptown and downtown

The false alarm fine was increased from $25 to $50. The fine for improper parking in city parks went from $25 to $50.