Student drivers flock to same four streets, testing driving skills and neighbours’ patience

A committee looks to ban driver training vehicles on some streets before testing at the nearby MTO office. CTV London’s Daryl Newcombe explains.

Rising traffic volumes are plaguing many residential neighbourhoods in London, but four streets in White Oaks face a unique challenge, a steady stream of student drivers practicing their skills.

“At least 40 to 50 per day,” said Patricia Sturgeon, who has lived at her home in the White Oaks neighbourhood for nine years. “It starts from at least seven in the morning until at least nine at night.”

Sturgeon says its dangerous having so many student drivers performing three-point-turns and attempting to parallel park on a street with children who like to ride bikes and scooters.

She added that student drivers slowly guiding their vehicles through a three-point-turn can back up traffic and prevent homeowners from exiting their driveways, “They block the whole road. That’s when we have to stop and wait.”

“It is a steady stream. You can stand at the intersection and just watch different (drivers ed) companies come into this neighborhood,” explained Coun. Elizabeth Peloza, whose ward includes the White Oaks neighbourhood.

Peloza is bringing a motion to a council committee next week directing city staff to report back with options that would regulate driving school instruction and designate restricted areas.

Peloza’s motion lists four streets for review:

• Archer Crescent
• Alayne Crescent
• Piers Crescent
• Stroud Crescent

All four are located near the south end of Jalna Boulevard, and are among the closest residential streets to the regional DriveTest Centre at 4380 Wellington Rd. in south London.

Peloza explains that driving instructors are bringing students to practice on the same four roads where part of the Ministry of Transportation’s (MTO) road test is often conducted.

“They tend to focus on the ministry’s driving course, so you have parents coming out, the ministry coming out, and many drivers’ ed companies [from] across the region coming out on these local streets,” she told CTV News.

Peloza says city staff previously asked MTO representatives and driving schools to diversify the areas where road instruction and testing occurs, but it had no impact.

The municipality has no authority over the provincial MTO, so her motion would only restrict driving school businesses and their students from certain streets.

“These are absolutely public roadways. It’s not a private community, so it would need to come through our Business Licensing bylaw,” Peloza explained.” So I want us working with [city hall’s] director of compliance about what those [rules] would look like. Other municipalities have them in place.”

Her motion lists Hamilton, Brampton, and Ottawa as cities that have addressed similar neighbourhood concerns.

Peloza emphasizes that parents could still provide lessons, and driving schools would be allowed to pick-up students who live on the streets where instruction would be prohibited.

She says her motion is intended to spread out the areas where instruction takes place, and more streets could be added to the list if changes to the Business Licensing by-law move the problem to nearby streets.

If approved by council later this month, a staff report would come back next spring detailing:

• Proposed criteria for identifying and designating restricted areas
• Any recommended exemptions
• Signage requirements
• Enforcement mechanisms
• Recommended penalties for non-compliance