Nearly an hour of deliberation over a report on the use of shared 香蕉视频直播渕icro-mobility香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� e-scooters and other smaller methods of transportation 香蕉视频直播� ended with Kelowna city council telling staff to come back with clearer ideas.
After expressing their frustration and confusion, councillors said the report needs to be sent back to city staff for clarification and to take into account yet-to-be-determined provincial guidelines that may see e-scooters regulated similarly to bicycles, allowing them to ride on roads. A pilot program is anticipated to be launched once the province does come to a conclusion.
The report, given to council on Monday, June 15, was largely meant to guide council香蕉视频直播檚 decision on the future of shared micro-mobility in the city 香蕉视频直播� which is currently non-operational amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Likely, staff said, the city won香蕉视频直播檛 see a return of those programs until the province makes its decision on how the vehicles can be regulated.
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Council was anticipated to either implement a speed limit on scooters and other small vehicles along the entire waterfront walkway and the Bernard Avenue temporary closure, or ban them altogether in those areas. Instead, they voted to simply accept the report and have staff take another look at it.
The report also stated, however, that similar sharing programs for pedal bikes are decreasing in popularity and would likely require a $1 million per year subsidy from the city to attract an operator, much to the dismay of some councillors.
香蕉视频直播淭wo years ago we had a bike share program that was a resounding success from a community standpoint,香蕉视频直播� said Coun. Brad Sieben of the Dropbike program that operated in Kelowna in the summer of 2018. 香蕉视频直播溝憬妒悠抵辈ウ We don香蕉视频直播檛 have that anymore, and there香蕉视频直播檚 a multitude of reasons why, but one of the things we got in exchange 香蕉视频直播� was e-scooters, which haven香蕉视频直播檛 been warmly received.香蕉视频直播�
Sieben reiterated a point he香蕉视频直播檚 made in the past that e-scooters are not used as a legitimate method of transportation, while the bike share program was.
Coun. Maxine DeHart said the city should look into subsidizing a bike share program saying that 香蕉视频直播渢he city subsidizes a lot of stuff.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淟ets get innovative,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淢aybe there is some type of subsidy the city could do.
香蕉视频直播淟et香蕉视频直播檚 look outside the box instead of just saying 香蕉视频直播楴o.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈
The report stemmed from a November 2019 request by council for staff to take a look at the implication of allowing e-scooters on the waterfront.
There is no timeline on when the province will decide its regulations, and as such, no reference for when the report might come back to council.
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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