Victoria has done it, so has New York City. Now an expert on public health is calling on Vancouver to consider lowering speed limits.
“It’s certainly the wave of what's happening in all first class cities around the world,” said Dr. John Carsley, a public health doctor with Vancouver Coastal Health. “If it's at 30 kilometres-an-hour, you have an 80 percent chance of living and at 50 you have an 80 percent chance of dying.
Carsley says it’s time for Vancouver to be part of the first class club of cities reducing their speed limits to 40—even 30 kilometres per hour.
The City of Victoria’s new speed limit within city limits is now 40 kilometres per hour and in the United Kingdom, officials have launched a campaign called 20 is plenty—that’s about 30 kilometres an hour.
But not everyone is a fan of the idea.
“My assertion is that in Vancouver we don't have a problem with people speeding on city streets that are arterial streets, said Ian Tootill of Sense BC, a motorist advocacy organization.
He says lower speed limits would lead to frustration and more vehicles idling.
“The unintended consequences are that you slow down the movement of goods and services, and people,” he added.
Cities that made the switch report mixed reviews.
That's why Dr. Carsley says changes in speed need to be tested first.
“Every city environment is different and you have to pilot things and see what the results are to make sure your predictions are correct and there are no unintended consequences,” he said.
Vancouver city council has talked about lowering speed in the past, even lowering the limit along a stretch of East Hastings in the downtown east side, but other changes at the moment remain just an idea.
With files from CTV’s St. John Alexander.
