County orders study on Community Safety Zones

WELLINGTON COUNTY – County council has directed staff to prepare a report on the establishment of Community Safety Zones on designated county roads.

Council unanimously approved a resolution moved by councillor Jeff Duncan at the Sept. 24 meeting.

Staff was directed to report back by the end of January.

The motion states that if council decides to proceed, a formal Community Safety Zone bylaw will be created and brought back to council at a future date for review, discussion and possible approval through the county’s roads committee.

Community Safety Zones are designated sections of roadway marked with signs that are recognized under provincial legislation as areas that allow for the doubling of speeding fines.

Duncan noted the provisions would only be in place in designated areas, “So it's not the whole county roads system.

“It’s most effective when it’s not overused."

Duncan told council that waiting for the county’s transportation master plan to be completed before moving on Community Safety Zones would delay implementation until at least the spring of 2022.

“I think we do not need to wait a year to deal with it,” he stated.

Duncan continued, “Community safety zones are not a magic bullet. Their implementation would not eliminate speeding, but it is a tool that municipalities were specifically given by the province to at least form a deterrent in an area.

"And it also shows the residents that we’re taking action.”

Noting “I have lots of questions about Community Safety Zones,” roads committee chair councillor Andy Lennox said, “I’m looking forward to how we can incorporate this into road safety on our roads if possible.”

“I think this is a good direction,” said Warden Kelly Linton, adding the staff report could “feed in” to the transportation master plan.

“These are the sort of things that plan will be looking into,” he noted.

The motion was approved unopposed.