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Need to recommit to traffic safety by collaborating with all stakeholders

Independents Working For You, the Delta civic election slate led by former Delta police Chief Jim Cessford, is taking traffic safety to heart.
traffic
A civic slate is bringing up the issue of traffic safety near schools.

Independents Working For You, the Delta civic election slate led by former Delta police Chief Jim Cessford, is taking traffic safety to heart.

In a news release, the slate say they recognize the importance of leveraging close relationships between city hall and the school board to address traffic congestion and pedestrian safety.

“We will rebuild the traffic safety advisory committee to be more responsive to needs at each school site and to hold a focus on student traffic safety,” said Cessford. “City hall, Delta police and Delta school board used to collaborate closely on traffic strategies. The reality is, with 31 schools in Delta, there is a school site within a kilometre on average in the north and slightly over a kilometre in the south. This means that schools have a tremendous impact on traffic patterns at certain times of day. We must collaborate as governing bodies to ensure everyone in the community can feel safe on the roads and sidewalks.”

Current school board chair Laura Dixon, also running with the Independents Working for You slate, last sat on the traffic safety advisory committee.

“It’s the job of a trustee to serve as the community’s voice and to bring forward their concerns for action,” said Dixon. “The change to a staff-only traffic and safety committee several years ago created a disconnect between our constituents, and put more steps between identification of issues, analysis and action important for school zone safety. This is one of the top reasons why we have a combined slate for council and school board. We have to be working together to get solutions.”

Delta district parent advisory council chair and school board candidate Joe Muego has witnessed conflict first hand.

“Every September parents become acutely aware of dangerous situations around schools,” Muego said. “The changing seasons bring darkness quicker, and with inclement weather, it is often difficult to see kids. There is inevitably conflict between the students and cars. I can’t remember a time in my decade on PACs where this wasn’t an issue.”

He said nine years ago when he was PAC president at Beach Grove Elementary, he remembers a closer collaboration with city hall to bolster the ‘Safe walk to school’ routes.  “This past year, at the same school, a proactive parent ended up taking the lead and initiating a shift of a crosswalk to create a safer intersection,” he said. “It was very difficult to even get city hall to recognize an issue. Thankfully this parent was persistent and succeeded. It should not have been that hard, there should be a more accessible way to affect positive change.”

Cessford said safety is a concern that faces all families in all of our communities.

“My team and I have committed to creating safer and happier communities,” he said. “Ensuring some of the most vulnerable are protected can only be done when there is earnest collaboration. This is why we chose from the beginning to put a council and school board team together.”