Fatal crashes on Highbury spark call for new traffic calming measures

An 85-year-old Londoner is dead following a collision Sunday night just north of London.

It is the latest in a string of crashes along Highbury Avenue North. Now, some residents are calling for traffic calming measures.

Among them is Earl, who declined to give his last name. His property faces a fast-moving section of Highbury Avenue North.

On Monday morning, he put on a safety vest before crossing the road to collect garbage cans.

“There is a lot of traffic on Highbury. That’s the bottom line,” he told CTV News London.

And far too often of late, Earl says some traffic has been involved in collisions.

When he saw emergency lights outside his widow at 8 p.m. Sunday, he knew there had been another one.

Middlesex OPP confirmed an 85-year-old London woman died when two vehicles collided near the intersection of Highbury Avenue and Ilderton Road.

Three others were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at hospital.

Earl, lives on Highbury Avenue north of London.

It is the latest of a string of recent crashes.

The most serious occurred a month ago when two people in their 20s died, and 10 people were transported to hospital.

In that crash, one person faces multiple charges.

Earl, who witnessed the aftermath, said something needs to be done.

He estimates a collision of varying degrees occurs once every two weeks near his home.

“It is a reasonably flat section of the road, but people seem to be veering off into the ditch.”

Earl says the Ilderton Road intersection seems to be the hot spot for collisions.

He and others CTV News spoke to along the roadway are hopeful local politicians will investigate possible traffic calming measures.

“Maybe it does need lights at Ilderton Road and Highbury as far as that intersection. Of course, Ilderton Road and Adelaide Street are also an extremely bad corner for accidents,” said Earl.

CTV News London reached out to Aina Deviet, the mayor of Middlesex-Centre and current Middlesex County Warden for comment about the potential for future safety measures. She did not respond directly to our interview requests.

However, a spokesperson did confirm that any Highbury Avenue improvements would fall under the jurisdiction of Middlesex County.