The District of Kent moved fast Tuesday to slow drivers on a road where a six-year-old girl was struck by a car and injured last month.

The district's council voted to lower the speed limit on Ashton Road from 50 km/h to 30 km/h. Marvin Jeronimus, whose daughter Ashley was hit by a car in February, said he was pleased to see the district take action to curb speeding on the road.

But he said he was surprised to see the limit had already been changed when he came home the next day.

"Hats off to the city for doing something," he told the Times Wednesday. "I thought it would be months, but it was done the next day."

Commuters have used Ashton Road as a shortcut between their workplaces and Highway 9. But Jeronimus has said the route is only shorter if drivers speed. He said Tuesday he hopes the speed change will get drivers to let off the accelerator a bit on the narrow residential street.

"When the speed limit's 50 [km/h], people do 60, so if the speed limit's 30, maybe they'll do 40."

tolsen@chilliwacktimes.com