By Cecilia Nasmith/Northumberland 89.7 FM/Today’s Northumberland
Get ready for a new term – micromobility.
One example is the electric scooter, not strictly legal in Cobourg right now, but – according to debate at Cobourg council’s Community Services, Protection and Economic Development Committee meeting Wednesday – something to look ahead to
The matter came up through correspondence from David Moore, who is seeing an increase in this mode of transportation and was disturbed to learn that there is no requirement for protective gear.
His research found statistics from the Hospital for Sick Children, which is seeing three times as many injuries from this cause as last year. With the capacity for speeds up to 55 km./hr., Moore said, shouldn’t some form of safety gear (a helmet, at least) be required.
Municipal Clerk Brent Larmer provided some background.
These vehicles are being permitted in some areas under a provincial pilot program that runs through Nov. 27, 2029. The town conferred with police in 2020 and decided there was no need to be part of it – therefore, though more of the vehicles are being spotted around town, they are not strictly allowed.
Councillor Adam Bureau’s motion in response to Moore’s letter to refer the matter to staff for a report could conceivably lead to a bylaw that could create a mechanism for governing their use, as well as enforcement.
