Title
MOBILITY DEVICES ON CITY OF BARRIE STREETS RULES AND IMPLICATIONS
D. Taylor, Chair provided the background associated with Committees discussion related to the rules, implications and safety concerns of mobility devices on City of Barrie streets.
Constable Chris Allport from the Barrie Police Service provided the Committee with a handout entitled “Personal Mobility Devices (Motorized Wheelchairs and Medical Scooters)”.
Constable Allport outlined the following:
• That persons operating motorized wheelchairs are treated in the same manner as pedestrians related to walking on sidewalks;
• A sidewalk should be the first choice for someone using a wheelchair or medical scooter
• If there is no sidewalk available people using wheelchairs or personal mobility devices should travel, like pedestrians along the left shoulder of the roadway facing oncoming traffic; and
• An description of the City of Barrie Traffic By-law 80-138, Sections 1(hh) and 6(16) and the Highway Traffic Act.
The Committee asked several questions and received responses from Constable Allport.
In closing, Constable Allport discussed communicating and educating the public the safe use of Mobility Devices on City of Barrie Streets. C. Dillon, Accessibility Coordinator suggested that educating the public on the safe use mobility devices could be included as part of Access Awareness Week. C. Dillon commented that she will work with staff in Access Barrie to include messaging about mobility devices during the winter/summer months.