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E-scooters will soon be allowed on Kelowna roadways under provincial pilot program

91ƵRather than a novelty, this change will enable e-scooters to be used for more utilitarian transportation purposes91Ƶ
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Lime e-scooters will soon be offered in Kelowna. (Photo: Kris Krug)

E-scooters will soon be allowed on Kelowna streets.

Under a three-year provincial Motor Vehicle Act pilot program, Kelowna residents and tourists will be allowed to use the city91Ƶs road network to scoot around town on shared or privately-owned electric scooters.

Previously, shared e-scooter programs operated in Kelowna through the summer of 2019, but they were only permitted on certain shared pathways, providing limited usage as a legitimate means of transportation.

A bylaw change will allow scooters to traverse roadways in the same way bikes and e-bikes do, making them a more practical commuter option.

91ƵThrough the development of our Transportation Master Plan, it is clear we need to find low-cost ways to move more people through our existing road space,91Ƶ said Mariah VanZerr, the city91Ƶs strategic transportation planning manager, in a presentation to city council on Monday, April 12.91ƵRather than a novelty, this change will enable e-scooters to be used for more utilitarian transportation purposes.91Ƶ

Alongside some of the companies that provided scooter-share programs in 2019, two new operators are coming to Kelowna, Lime and Helbiz.

Riders will be expected to wear helmets, but most companies will be offering them for free, either by shipping a requested helmet to a user91Ƶs home or via public helmet giveaways.

The bylaw change is set to be adopted at a council meeting on April 19.

City staff will report back to council before the end of 2021 with an evaluation of the city91Ƶs micromobility permit program as a whole, including both e-scooter and e-bike share programs.

Correction: A previous version of this story said the bylaw change had already been adopted; this is not the case. The bylaw is scheduled to be adopted at a Kelowna city council meeting on April 19.

READ MORE: Kelowna mayor claims spotty attendance at regional district meetings is not due to volunteerism

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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