Chatham-Kent is making it a top priority to protect children by setting up "school safety zones" throughout the municipality.
Councillor Carmen McGregor's motion to introduce safety zones with lowered speed limits and doubled speeding fines near schools was presented at Monday night's council meeting and passed 16-0.
McGregor did make some changes to her original motion, calling for designated "school safety zones" to be established in Chatham-Kent. The amended motion states that these zones will be "established adjacent to the main entrance and/or bus loading areas of schools within Chatham-Kent that allows for a reduction of the speed limit to 30 km/hr and permits double the speed limit fines."
McGregor says this a good thing for all Chatham-Kent residents and she would like to see it be a successful program.
The zones are to be phased in starting this summer. The motion states that the Engineering Department will begin with elementary schools that are located in higher traffic areas.
McGregor has requested an amendment in the municipality's bylaws to permit the establishment of these zones. A report will come back to council at a future meeting.