Stop bicycle licensing in its tracks

Councillor McCluskey will be requesting an unneccesary staff report about bicycle licensing at the December 2nd council meeting. Bicycle licensing is a costly and ineffective tool to improve cycling in Halifax. Councillor McCluskey was on council in 2009 when the last staff report for bicycle licensing was written. The report could not have been more clear: “Costs associated with fees, plates, education and logistics may discourage cycling, which is contrary to the Active Transportation Plan.” Halifax’s two Active Transportation staff are overwhelmed trying to implement the existing plan. Writing another report on bicycle licensing would be a waste of their time and prevent them from taking real actions that will help cyclists.

Please take five minutes to email Councillor McCluskey, gloria.mccluskey@halifax.ca, or call 902-490-7033 to tell her why instead of requesting this staff report she should concentrate on finding funding for the Active Transportation plan.

What have staff said about bicycle licensing?

  • “Costs associated with fees, plates, education and logistics may discourage cycling, which is contrary to the Active Transportation Plan”
  • “Re-enacting the [Bicycle Licensing] By-law would […] not cover the administrative costs or other costs associated with the program”
  • Bicycle licensing was abandoned in 1980 because “it was no longer seen to be economical and represented an administrative cost to the City.”

No successful cycling city requires bicycles to be licensed. In fact, very few cities worldwide require bicycle licensing and they’re all in North America. In Nova Scotia just Truro and Port Hawkesbury still believe in licensing cyclists.

The Halifax Cycling Coalition supports increased education for cyclists and motorists in order to keep our roads safe. Bicycle licensing is a distraction which will discourage cycling and reinforce the belief that motorists pay a disproportionate share of road maintenance costs. Ask Councillor McCluskey to fund the infrastructure improvements and education plans recommended in the Active Transportation plan so that we can get more people on bikes. As with roadway improvements these should be funded out of existing property tax revenues.

Stop bicycle licensing in its tracks

  • Email Councillor McCluskey today (gloria.mccluskey@halifax.ca)
  • CC ontrack@cyclehalifax.ca
  • Put “Bicycle Licensing” in the subject line
  • Include your mailing address

We want you to share your personal story. Tell Councillor McCluskey how you, your family, and your friends will impacted . Add your home address to the email so she knows you’re an area resident.

Pedal even harder

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