London City Council notes: E-bikes and crossing guards

When is an e-bike an e-bike?

That question was central to discussions around the introduction of a proposed bylaw amendment that could lead to the exclusion of power-assisted bicycles from the city’s multi-use pathways.

During the Community and Protective Services Committee meeting on Monday (June 17), the members referred back to staff the recommendation of staff that also included lowering the speed limit on pathways from 30 kph to 20 kph. That reduction would allow the Upper Thames Conservation Authority’s ability to act as bylaw enforcement officers within the city’s environmentally significant areas.

In 2009 the province amended the Highway Traffic Act and excluded power-assisted” bicycles — or e-bikes — from the definition of motor vehicle.

Ward 5 Councillor Joni Baechler, Ward 13 Councillor Judy Bryant and Mayor Joe Fontana all agreed that e-bikes should be allowed in the pathways. However, Ward 12 Councillor Harold Usher took the opposite point, raising several issues, including safety of those using the pathways.

Usher’s question, however, raised the point of whether the bylaw was designed to deal with scooter-style e-bikes or more of the power-assisted bicycles. Bill Coxhead, managing director of parks and recreation, said the exclusion was planned for the scooter-style bikes, but that it would welcome the referral to come back with a clearly laid out report.

Crossing guard rules

Also during the meeting, the committee voted to move forward with a single-source arrangement for school crossing guards.

The decision came as the committee discussed the London Police Service plan to stop administering the School Crossing Guard Program. With that decision, the London Police Services Board moved to save the approximately $1 million cost of the program.

The mayor said the safety of kids is “absolutely important” and so the city needs a seamless transition from the police administration to that of the city. To achieve that goal, John Braam, managing director of environmental and engineering services, said the city would work with the existing contractor for a one-year period ending on Aug. 31, 2014.

Committee chair and Ward 11 Councillor Denise Brown reaffirmed the city will undertake the sole source arrangement only for 2013/14 school year before undertaking a review of the program and moving forward with requests for proposal in time for the 2014/15.