Road safety costs should be shared by all users

I would like to offer my comments to the announcement regarding the ATV bypass over the Trans Canada Highway 105 (“Blue Route gets council support,” Cape Breton Post, April 6) and the letter to the editor authored by Valerie Patterson (“Government support messed up,” Post, April 6).

First, I could not agree more with Patterson’s assessment of the Ross Ferry Road. It is deplorable and unsafe. And it’s not just this road. There are so many other roads it would be impossible to count.

I own and operate an off road vehicle. My vehicle is licensed ($58 yearly), I must maintain adequate insurance, I maintain a trail pass from ATVANS ($20 yearly) and I belong to an ATV club.

Statistics state there are 38,000 off road vehicles registered in Nova Scotia. Also, somewhere in the area of $184.9 million was generated in revenue (2014– 2015) through the use of off road vehicles. By my math 38,000 X $58.00 = $ 2,204,000 in registration fees alone.

It would appear, on face value, any infrastructure to increase tourism via off road vehicles is a good deal. At least the money raised by registration fees is going back to enhance and make our highways safer for off road vehicles and highway vehicles.

I think the question that should be asked is where are the taxes collected from fuel, registration, etc. going? Isn’t this revenue to be used for road infrastructure? I have the utmost respect for anyone travelling on their bicycle on our roads and highways. After driving a motorcycle for many years and recent traffic deaths, I fully understand how dangerous it can be.

I think it only makes sense to widen our roads for both safety to vehicles and bicycles but I also believe they should contribute to that end by paying a registration fee. The burden would not be as heavy if we all chipped in for the things we want and, of course, if it is managed properly.

Tom Hastie Georges River/Kempt Head