RNC brass turn out for school zone speed change

By Craig Westcott/September 9, 2022

A trio of senior officers from the provincial police force were on hand at Admirals Academy in Kelligrews on Tuesday to reinforce Mayor Darrin Bent’s message that 30 kph driving speeds will be enforced around the town’s nine schools this fall.

Bent held a press conference outside the elementary school to remind the public about the change in speed limits as Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Deputy Chief Colin McNeil, Deputy Chief Stephanie Legace and the head of the RNC’s CBS detachment, Insp. Steve Knight, looked on.

“It’s fantastic to see these folks here today,” said the mayor. “It’s an indication of the support that they’ve given us.”

Bent made the switch to 30 kph speed limits in school zones a key priority of the new council after it was elected last fall. Tuesday’s announcement was the culmination of that promise.

“We’re here to highlight an important new change to safety in the town of Conception Bay South,” said the mayor. “Effectively immediately in school zones throughout the town, we have reduced the speed limits to 30 kilometres an hour. By reducing our speeds within school zones throughout the town we have enhanced safety for our students.”

The 30 kph speed limit will be in effect on school days from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bent pointed out most of the town’s schools are located along provincial highway Route 60, “which is the commercial spine of Conception Bay South and the fifth busiest road in the province.” CBS has some 5,000 students in the Kindergarten to Grade-12 system, he added. “And those students and their safety is our top priority.”

The mayor thanked the Department of Transportation for approving council’s request to reduce the speed limit and for working with the Town on student safety.

“Conception Bay South is the second largest municipality in our province and has some of the most heavily used roads, and council is committed to the safety of residents, and especially our school children,” Bent said. 

RNC Deputy Chief Colin McNeil thanked Mayor Bent and Admirals Academy principal John Barrington for giving the force the opportunity to promote the need for safe driving.

“This is a very clear and concise move to promote road safety, particularly for that of young children and our students in our community,” said McNeil. “It is to protect some our most vulnerable and valuable assets, our children. It is incumbent on motorists to recognize the responsibility that they have when they sit behind the wheel of a vehicle. A vehicle is 2,000 pounds of metal and plastic hurtling down a road. Distracted driving, speeding and other aggressive driving in our jurisdiction continues to be the main cause of many of our accidents and is entirely preventable. By reducing speeds, risk is reduced and tragedy can be prevented. This is our responsibility as community leaders to do so, and we will.”

McNeil said the RNC is happy to work with CBS and other municipalities, as well as with its sister force, the RCMP, to promote and enforce safe driving.

“We will target people who are aggressive in driving,” McNeil said. “Their habits will be targeted. We will work with these communities with all the tools that we have at our disposal to focus on road safety initiatives. This is one fantastic road safety initiative, and we welcome it. We look forward to that partnership, and we look forward to getting out in our communities – not only from an enforcement perspective, but from an educational perspective to work with the motoring public to discuss and promote road safety initiatives and to talk about ways we can make our roads and streets and provincial highways safer.”

Admirals Academy principal Barrington appeared delighted with the change. 

“To build on what Deputy Chief McNeil has said, safety in and around our school zones is our top priority,” said Barrington. “With the introduction of a 30 kph zone in front of Admirals Academy we are confident that it will aid in keeping with that priority. With many of our students walking and biking to school, along with some of our older students, our Grade 7 students, heading out at lunch time in and around our community, we are hopeful that this is just one step in helping to keep our students safe… Our children are excited to return to school to see their friends, to see their teachers, and it is incumbent upon us as a community to ensure that we do our part today and everyday to keep our students safe.”

Barrington said a significant number of the school’s 460 or so students walk or ride their bikes to school.

“To give you an idea, last year in February when there was no snow on the ground, those bike racks were full of bikes,” said the principal pointing to a three or four row length of bike racks. To put a number on that is tricky. You’re looking at everyday between 50 and 80 students, I would think (who walk or bike to school). We’ve got a lot of students who bus, but there are quite a few who take their bikes or who walk… On fine days you’ll notice there are fewer cars dropping kids off, because they’ll either walk, bike or get the bus. The weather is a factor.”