London

Speeders on your street? The city wants to hear from you

The city has launched a survey to gather input from London residents as they consider lowering the speed limit on residential streets to below 50 km/h.

City seeks public input on dropping speed limit to below 50 km/h on residential streets

If speeding is a problem on your residential street, the City of London wants to hear from you. (Gary Ennett/CBC News)

Frustrated by speeders blazing through streets in your neighbourhood? The City of London wants to hear from you. 

The city has launched a survey to gather input from London residents as they consider lowering the speed limit on residential streets to below 50 km/h.

The city is pointing to studies that show an increase in pedestrian deaths when cars are travelling faster than 40 km/h, and in increase in cycling and walking when vehicles travel below that speed. 

The city has already reduced speed limits to 40 kilometres an hour in school zones.

Residential streets being considered for speed limit reductions would go beyond school zones and include neighbourhood blocks, crescents and cul-de-sacs and collector streets such as Wortley Road, Aldersbrook Road and Meadowgate Boulevard. They do not include major roads such as Richmond Street, Wharncliffe Road or Adelaide Street.

The survey is short (three short questions), and it can be filled out here until July 31. 

Results of the survey will be considered by London's Roads and Transportation staff as they prepare their default speed limit recommendation for city council.

The opportunity came about from an amendment to Ontario's Highway Traffic Act. In London and all urban areas, the current default speed limit is 50 kilometres per hour.

In the meantime, the city is taking the following measures to calm traffic in residential areas and near school zones:

Centreline markers

(City of London.)

Flexible in-road traffic calming signs designed to get drivers out of their comfort zone and heighten awareness of their surroundings.

Student silhouettes

(City of London)

Life-size student silhouette signs designed to encourage drivers to take extra care and caution in school zones.

Speed and display boards

(City of London)

LED display boards designed to discourage speeding by detecting and displaying drivers' speeds.

'Respect the limit' lawn signs

(City of London)

Lawn signs designed for residents to help remind drivers to slow down.

To find out if your street is considered a residential street, residents can contact: visionzero@london.ca or call 519-661-4580.