Argyle residents concerned about safety after hit and run

CTV London: Neighbours react to hit and run An Ingersoll couple has been charged after a 10-year-old boy was struck and left in critical condition. Bryan Bicknell has more.

Neighbours are expressing concerns about safety after a 10-year-old boy was left in critical condition following a hit and run on Wexford Avenue Friday evening.

A married couple from Ingersoll, Toby and Rebecca Van Lieshout are facing a slew of charges in relation to that east London collision.

Now as 10-year-old Tyler Brooks-Szabo fights to recover in hospital, residents in the area where it happened say high speeds are a major concern and they want something done.

The city says the street where it happened, Wexford Avenue, north of the intersection of Trafalgar Street and Admiral Drive, has definitely been on their radar but has never been a high priority.

Donna lives on Wexford Avenue, and it was in front of her house that Brooks-Szabo was struck by a hit and run driver while riding his bike along the sidewalk.

It was a shock, but she says “And yet it’s expected that eventually it was going to happen.”

She's among a growing number of residents who have been calling for traffic-calming measures on Wexford, and Pat Crawford has also raised concerns.

“I’m surprised that there aren’t more cars that don’t make that corner. I’ve seen some cars that are probably doing 60-70 kilometres an hour,” he says.

But the street has not gone unnoticed. The city conducted a traffic study of Wexford last year after receiving a complaint.

They found the average speed was slightly above the speed limit at 53 kilometres an hour and responded by putting up speed boards for one week.

And traffic volume was clocked at 1,000 cars a day, which is considered low.

But London police say Wexford is a source of chronic complaints to their traffic department.

From July 2012 to April 2013 they set up traffic blitzes on seven different occasions and handed out nine offences in total with the top speed clocked at 66 kilometres an hour.

But residents say sporadic presence won’t have the same impact as regular patrols.

Meanwhile London police Const. Ryan Scrivens says “Our officers have been on this around the clock since Friday night, I literally mean that 24 hours a day. We still have a vehicle examination to complete and we’re still appealing to other witnesses that may have any information, even though charges have been laid that information can be still extremely valuable.”

Ward Councillor Bill Armstrong says action will be taken once the police report on this incident is finished and when all the new and historical information becomes available.

“And then we’ll have a look at all that and then see where we go from there as far as what our plan of action is. Obviously we want to give the community a feeling of you know, we’ve done our best to make it as safe as possible.”

Meanwhile Toby and Rebecca Van Lieshout both appeared in court separately via video on Monday. They have each been remanded in custody and are expected back in court on Tuesday.

A ride a candlelight vigil in support have also been announced for Wednesday.