Many drivers are still ignoring the posted speed limit and the stop signs at the Brydon Park playground on the corner of 53 Avenue and 198 Street in Langley City, despite a continuing crackdown by the RCMP.
At the beginning of February, traffic officers handed out 16 tickets in one day, 13 for speeding and three for failing to stop at the stop signs.
That’s the largest number of tickets issued during a single day since the police began a new campaign to discourage speeding and stop sign running near the playground last month.
In January, members of the Langley RCMP traffic section wrote seven speeding tickets on one day and nine tickets on another, six for speeding and three for running stop signs.
City mayor Ted Schaffer released a report by Insp. Peter Jadis, the Langley RCMP detachment Operations Officer, that promised traffic officers will return to Brydon Park.
“It’s hoped that the continued presence of the police in the area will change the driving behaviour in the near future,” Jadis said.
A traffic safety study has found the average daytime speed in the playground zone is 55 km/h, well over the posted 30 km/h speed limit.
The survey was carried out as part of a development permit application by the builder of the Uptown Village townhouse project at 55 Avenue and 198 Street.
The findings were presented during a December public hearing on the proposal and referred to police by mayor Schaffer on behalf of council.
Residents have told police that the problem appears to be connected to construction on 200 Street, with the road past the playground being used as a detour.
The children’s playground was rebuilt between December 2015 and February 2016, with play structures for children ages one to five, and five to 12, with swings suitable for each age range, climbing features, slides and a push-it-yourself merry-go-round.
Brydon Park also has a paved play area for ball hockey and basketball, an intermediate soccer field and a softball diamond
Drivers caught speeding in a playground zone face a fine of between $196 and $253 and the addition of three points on their driver’s licence.
A motorist who is more than 40 km/h over the limit can be fined $368 to $483 for excessive speed and receive three points.
