The cycle path on the Chemin Saint-Foy slowed down cars

The number of speeding fines in the school zone has dropped significantly since the start of the 2023 school year, which tops the “ticket trap” list. Newspaper, compared to previous years. The creation of the Chemin Saint-Foy cycle path may have contributed to this phenomenon.

According to data analyzed by our investigation office, members of the Quebec City Police Service (SPVQ) issued 446 tickets for speeding within 300 meters of Anne-Hébert Primary School in the months of September, October and November 2022. After the inauguration of the Vélocité corridor, in the summer of 2023, this number will increase to 96. increased

However, SPVQ assures that its back-to-school road safety campaign is similar to previous years. More than 700 fines have been issued in 152 school districts across its territory.

“We've known for a long time that developments that reduce the space allocated to the car produce results,” says Marie-Soleil Cloutier, a professor at the National Institute of Scientific Research's Pedestrian and Urban Space Laboratory. With this new evidence, we go beyond perception: it shows that it can be achieved in Quebec.

A clear change

Ann-Julie Raum, a mother of two children attending Anne-Hebert Primary School and a member of the school's local road safety table, says she has noticed a clear change in the behavior of motorists since the bollards were installed on the road in front of the school's establishment.

Ann-Julie Raum, a mother of two who attends Anne-Hébert School, said she was concerned when she learned that Quebec City's school zones were regularly speeding.

Stevens LeBlanc/Journal de Quebec

“Cars following each other are larger, so people have the intuition to drive slower. We have to be more patient on the road, but that makes a real difference in the sense of safety for our children.

The committee she was a part of conducted a survey of parents to get their views on the new cycle path. Their reception is mixed: they think their children are safe, but coexistence with motorists and cyclists is difficult.

Performance is not enough

Update on compiled statistics News magazineAccès Transport Viable General Director, Marie-Soleil Gagne, emphasized that this drastic reduction in speed is further proof that sustainable development is “the only sustainable solution” to safeguard school environments.

Marie-Soleil Gagne, director general of Access Viable Transport, suggested that signs are not enough to slow motorists down and instead add permanent infrastructure.

Photo courtesy Muriel Leclerc

“Police officers do an important job of enforcing the law and ensuring the safety of students. But we can't help but notice driving fast when people aren't around. […] Illuminated or not, the signs do not slow down cars.

– In collaboration with Philippe Langlois