Motion at Ottawa accessibility committee recommends ending e-scooter program next year

Ottawa's accessibility advisory committee will consider a motion that would ask the city not to bring back electric scooters next year, over concerns they pose a risk to pedestrians and people with disabilities.

Ottawa's accessibility advisory committee will consider a motion that would ask the city not to bring back electric scooters next year, over concerns they pose a risk to pedestrians and people with disabilities.

The motion put forward by member Wayne Antle says despite attempts by the city to rectify resident concerns, the program has not gone far enough to eliminate accessibility barriers.

The five-year provincial pilot program is set to conclude at the end of this year, but several councillors have already discussed the possibility of extending the program or making it permanent. The city has voted to maintain the program since its first season in 2020, with a number of adjustments to account for citizen concerns over sidewalk safety.

The committee had previously recommended against renewing the program in 2022 following similar complaints over sidewalk hazards.

Ottawa's city council opted to continue with the program with a number of changes to account for the complaints, including introducing a ban on sidewalk riding, requiring designated parking and riding areas, and adding an audible sound on the scooters to alert pedestrians that they are approaching.

The recent motion says the changes have not been effective or have not gone far enough to prevent illegal sidewalk riding and parking that pose a risk. The motion claims council did not allow public scrutiny of the changes made by councillors.

"There have been numerous reports of sidewalk-riding, improperly parked e-scooters, and e-scooters not emitting a sound that could be heard above the noise of city traffic reported to blind and partially-sighted stakeholder groups," the motion reads.