City speed limits could drop from 50km/h to 40km/h
Posted August 24, 2013 4:37 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – An upcoming vote by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) could have drivers slowing down across the province.
Victoria councillor Shellie Gudgeon says the move would blanket all cities in the province and would reduce the default un-posted speed limit from 50km/h to 40km/h.
“It would be beneficial if it was a blanket 40k and where it was necessary to have it 50, 60, 70 kilometres an hour, then it would be signed,” says Gudgeon.
But Ian Tootill with speed safety group SENSE BC says the idea is completely unnecessary and doubts people would support it.
“This is not on the radar of the average person. I don’t actually think this will pass at the UBCM, I just think it’ll die on the vine.”
He calls supporters of the move car haters but that’s a claim Gudgeon disputes.
“I’ve heard some people make some comments that this is a non-driving crowd that’s pushing this. For the record, I drive a Porsche,” she says.
Vancouver councillor Kerry Jang says he doesn’t support the move, saying it’s unnecessary in a large urban centre.
“In a large city like Vancouver we have a lot of controlled stops, a lot of stop signs. Certainly a lot of shorter blocks so it’s not necessary. To slow it down would slow down our commerce.”
The vote is set for September.
