Petition for Safety and Traffic Calming Improvements Around London Road Public School

To: The County of Lambton and the City of Sarnia

We, the undersigned parents and guardians of students attending London Road Public School, urgently call upon the County of Lambton and the City of Sarnia to implement major safety and traffic calming improvements in the vicinity of our school.

Background:

London Road Public School is one of the last 100% walking schools in our region. Every day, our elementary school students navigate busy streets to get to and from school. The current road design is predominantly car-centric, which poses significant risks to our young pedestrians. It is imperative that the area surrounding the school be redesigned to prioritize the safety and well-being of our children.

1. Our Requests:

a. Student-Centric Road Design:

i. Redesign the streets surrounding London Road Public School to focus on pedestrian safety, especially for elementary school students.

ii. Move away from the current car-centric design to a model that prioritizes children and pedestrians.

b. Implementation of Specific Safety Measures:

i. Raised Crosswalk with Refuge Island: At London/College and Maxwell/Napier school crossings, install raised crosswalks equipped with refuge islands to provide safe crossing points for students.

ii. Reduced Speed Limit: Lower the speed limit to 30 km/h in the school vicinity to enhance safety for pedestrians.

iii. Signalized Pedestrian Crossing: Install signalized pedestrian crossings at London/College to ensure vehicles yield to crossing students.

c. Establishment of a School Safety Zone:

i. Create a minimum 200-metre school safety zone around London Road Public School.

ii. Enforce reduced speed limits within this zone during school hours and times of high pedestrian activity.

2. Reasons for Our Requests:

a. Safety of Our Children: The primary concern is the safety of our students, who are vulnerable road users.

b. Encouraging Walking to School: Enhancing safety measures will promote walking, which has health and environmental benefits.

c. Community Well-Being: A student-centric road design will benefit not only the school community but also residents and visitors to the area.

Conclusion:

We believe that these improvements are necessary to protect our children and enhance the quality of life in our community. We urge the County of Lambton and the City of Sarnia to take immediate action to implement these safety measures.

Sincerely,

The Parents and Guardians of London Road Public School Students

[Please sign below to show your support for this petition.]

Instructions for Parents and Guardians:

• Please sign and return this petition to your child’s teacher or drop it off at the school’s main office by May 30th, 2025.

• Feel free to share this petition with other parents and community members who are concerned about student safety.

Note: in addition to this online version of the petition there is also a paper petition circulating

Privacy Notice:

Your personal information will be used solely for the purpose of this petition and will be submitted to the County of Lambton and the City of Sarnia as evidence of community support for the requested safety improvements.

Thank you for your time and support in making London Road Public School a safer place for all our children.