Toronto councillors are asking staff to work out how to seize e-bikes and e-scooters ridden on the sidewalk as they lament a public information campaign that has failed to stem the tide.
At a meeting this week, councillors raised concerns about the proliferation of electric bikes and scooters across the city, the speeds at which they travel and their involvement in crashes.
“There’s no question we have a huge problem with illegal behaviour, especially with the gig workers driving motorized vehicles,” Coun. Diane Saxe said.
E-scooters specifically have never been allowed in Toronto, while electric bikes are not permitted on sidewalks.
Both the city and police have leaned toward education over enforcement in dealing with both issues. A poster campaign has rolled out with little success, while officers tend to lay out the rules when they stop people instead of issuing tickets.
A motion introduced by Coun. Jon Burnside, and amended by his colleagues, asked staff to work with police to report back to council on how to prohibit e-bikes and e-scooters from riding on the city’s sidewalks.
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Mayor Olivia Chow agreed with the concerns raised.
“It needs to be managed much better,” she said. “They shouldn’t be riding on sidewalks, absolutely. It’s illegal to do so.”
Toronto police told Global News they don’t track sidewalk crashes involving e-bikes.
It’s an issue many councillors fear is plaguing the city. Coun. Brad Bradford pointed out that the rules of the road should “apply to everybody, including e-bikes.”
Coun. Gord Perks was worried the city was letting people “walk away” after breaking the rules.
Local advocacy group CycleToronto, however, said the concerns were being exaggerated.
“Our responses need to be proportionate and we need to make sure we’re best allocating our limited resources and budget on this, “Michael Longfield, the group’s executive director, told Global News.
“I think this is just a big overreach, and it’s certainly premature ahead of us having the facts.”
The new report will be delivered in the first half of next year, when councillors will decide what steps — if any — they can take to crack down.
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