St. John's extending reduced speed hours in elementary school zones

The new schol year is still over a month away, but the City of St. John's is extending one safety measure they hope will make school zones safer.

Elementary school zones used to have a speed limit of 30 km/h from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. But on Monday, the city approved plans to start enforcement 30 minutes earlier at 7 a.m.

Coun. Sandy Hickman said the change was largely made to help the city fall in line with the province's Highway Traffic Act, but said it also aims to help make school zones safer.

"Rather than just do the pick-up and drop-off hours, we did the whole day. Because kids could be coming and going for recess time or being picked up," Hickman told CBC News Tuesday.

Signs will be changed in areas across the city before the start of the new school year on Sept. 3.

The move coincides with the implementation of Newfoundland and Labrador's first speed cameras installed in St. John's.

Additional speed cameras are set to be installed near Larkhall Academy and Leary's Brook Junior High in September, and Hickman said he hopes more can be placed in school zones across the city in the future.

"I think it's a great technology, and I'm hoping that the province sees the value of it," he said.

"We can help guide them as to the best locations. To put it in the most necessary ones."

Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.