The City of London is reducing speed limits in many school zones to 40 kilometres an hour.
This change in speed limit will affect school zones located on residential streets across the city and will be phased in over a two-year period.
The Middlesex London Road Safety Committee identified pedestrian safety as a priority in its City of London Road Safety Strategy 2014 – 2019.
Officials say the goal is to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists and to encourage a more active lifestyle by addressing some of the safety concerns of students walking and cycling to school.
“Making walking, running and cycling routes safer for young Londoners is a priority in our Strategic Plan,” said Mayor Matt Brown. “Lowering speed limits in school zones contributes to making our city safer, healthier and more accessible. I would like to thank Councillor Ridley for being such a champion for this change.”
A typical school zone starts 150 metres before a school property and ends 150 metres after a school property.
Installation of the new speed limit signs commenced this week in the area of Jean Vanier Catholic School, Westmount Public School and Saunders Secondary School on Viscount Road.
“Vehicle speed and pedestrian safety are some of the top concerns I hear from the community,” says Councillor Virginia Ridley, who first proposed lowering the speed limits.
“By decreasing the speed around school zones we are increasing the safety for everyone. I am very excited that we are able to move forward on decreasing the speed limits in school zones.”
She says she hopes that parent confidence will increase in encouraging their children to walk to and from school each day.
The London Road Safety Strategy was recently adopted by the City of London and defines a system and a process for setting out the targets, policies, and action plans that will guide the City and its partners in creating safer roads by reducing the number and severity of motor vehicle collisions.
