E-scooters may be allowed in cycling lanes

City says e-bikes shouldn’t be forced into car lanes, but should be banned on trails

City staff are recommending that electric scooters be allowed in Toronto bike lanes but banned from multi-use trails and cycle tracks, such as those running north and south on Sherbourne St.

“It is felt allowing e-scooter access to conventional bicycle lanes would provide a safer environment for these riders, instead of forcing them out of the bicycle lanes and having them mix with the faster moving au- tomobile traffic,” says a report prepared by Transportation Services.

The report also suggests “pedelecs” — bicycles with pedals assisted by a somewhat lower-powered electric motor — be allowed wherever bicycles are permitted. All pedelecs and e-scooters would continue to be prohibited from use on sidewalks.

The report will be considered by Public Works and Infrastructure Committee at its meeting Thursday and, if adopted, considered by city council Feb. 19.

John De Marco, a director of the Toronto Electric Riders Association, says the recommendations are long overdue.

“There is confusion, misunder- standing, and there has been conflicting statements . . . so many (escooter riders) have already been using the bike lanes,” he said Friday. De Marco would like city staff to reconsider banning e-scooters from multi-use trails. Instead, he suggested the trails be turned into bike lanes during morning and evening weekday rush hours to help ease traffic congestion. Jared Kolb, executive director of Cycle Toronto, called the staff report “a reasonable compromise.” The non-profit group is “thrilled” by the proposal to give pedelec bicycles the same access as conventional bikes. But there are concerns about allowing e-scooters in bike lanes be-

“The city might want to consider potential speed limits in bike lanes, say to 25 km/h, to eliminate the speed differential.” JARED KOLB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CYCLE TORONTO

cause of the speed difference between electric scooters and conventional bicycles. “The city might want to consider potential speed limits in bike lanes, say to 25 km/h, to eliminate the speed differential,” Kolb said. E-scooters can travel at a top speed of 32 km/h. A study done for the staff report found a majority of cyclists using the College St. bike lanes rode between 18 and 25 km/h. The report says e-scooter riders are expected to pass slower cyclists in the adjacent traffic lane.

“What we really have to focus in on is etiquette,” Kolb said.

He would like the city to launch a public education campaign on the rules of the road.

In Ontario, power-assisted bike riders must be at least 16 years old, wear approved bicycle or motorcycle helmets and follow the same traffic laws as bicyclists. Power-assisted bicycles require no licence or insurance in Ontario.