Photo: Colin Dacre

The 30-kilometre-per-hour speed limits downtown Penticton are staying in place.

Councillors were presented a report Tuesday outlining overwhelming support for the lower speed limits — which were dropped from 50 km/hr in 2014 — from groups including the RMCP, Downtown Penticton Association, Penticton Cycling Association and the city’s bylaw and engineering departments.

General manager of infrastructure Mitch Moroziuk explained three pedestrians have been struck by vehicles in the last three months downtown.

“To me this is a no-brainer, from a safety issue and an economic issue. There is benefits to both,” Coun. Campbell Watt said, adding the city should consider lowering limits in other areas.

Coun. Judy Sentes questioned why the issue was even brought back before them when so many people appear to be in favour of the lower limits.

“I’m curious sometimes about our staff time, and this again has taken time. And I’m not sure where the question came from, it certainly didn’t come from the DPA,” she asked.

“It came from me during the election,” responded Coun. Katie Robinson, who said she’s “OK” with 30 km/hr limits on Main Street, but would like to see them raised on streets like Ellis and Winnipeg.

“It boggles my mind that a lot of the businesses downtown actually had so much support for this,” she said. “Because it’s making it more difficult for people to get in and out of downtown in a timely manner.”

“Nobody actually drives 30 km/hr,” Robinson added. “It just doesn’t make any sense to me to put in rules that nobody follows.”

Coun. Jake Kimberley asked staff if the city could install photo radar on Main Street, but was told local governments don’t have that right in B.C.

Council voted 6-1 to keep the 30 km/hr limits in place, with Robinson opposed.