Vancouver council cuts speed limit to 30km/h on local streets to reduce collisions

Vancouver's city council has voted unanimously to reduce the speed limit on local streets to 30 kilometres per hour, down from the provincially mandated 50 kilometres per hour.

The city says in a release that the vote "sets the stage" for the phased introduction of the new limit on residential streets without a centre line.

It says new signage will be installed in 25 "neighbourhood slow zones" over the next three years, with other neighbourhoods being added later subject to budget allocations.

The city says lowering the speed limit on local residential streets can reduce pedestrian fatality rates in a crash from 80 per cent to 15 per cent, as well as reducing stopping distances almost by half, thus lowering the number of collisions.

The city also says lower speed limits can reduce noise and air pollution.

The province currently sets a blanket speed limit of 50 kilometres per hour on residential streets in Vancouver unless otherwise posted, while the city says Vancouver "has a long-standing practice to lower speed limits" to 30 kilometres an hour on local street greenways, and playground and school zones.

"We are committed to seeing safer streets and a reduction in both road-related fatalities and serious injuries," Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim says in a statement.