London Political U-turn kills plan to reduce speed limits in dozens of school zones on London’s busiest roads A truck drives past Ealing Public School on Hamilton Road (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London) Share London’s deputy mayor is defending council’s decision not to reduce speed limits next to dozens of schools in the city that are adjacent to major roadways. On Tuesday, a majority of council rejected a recommendation by the Civic Works Committee that would have reduced speed limits by 10 km/hr in school zones along arterial roads during periods when students are usually present. “These are your Oxford Streets, your Clarke Roads, your Highburys, your Commissioners, your Fanshawe Park Roads-- where we want traffic flowing,” Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis told CTV News.
”Frankly, [these roads] are where we want traffic to stay and not become cut through traffic in neighborhoods.” However, council’s decision flies in the face of a recommendation from the Civic Works Committee based on a report by city staff that reads, “Expanding reduced school zone speed limits to major streets bolsters the city's commitment to improving road safety, particularly in areas with high pedestrian activity.” The reduced speed limits would have been enforced during school hours, 7 a.
m. to 4 p.m.
Monday to Friday between September 1 and June 30. If the recommendation had been approved, most of the school zones would have gone down to 40 km/h, but faster sections of Highbury Avenue, Oxfo.