It looks like the province has temporarily put the brakes on golf carts on roads in Qualicum Beach this winter.
In August, Premier Christy Clark announced in Qualicum Beach the pilot project which would have allowed people to drive golf carts on some local roads starting last month. This pilot project was also announced in Chase.
In a statement released by the ministry of transportation and infrastructure on Wednesday, minister Todd Stone said as a way to make sure that the project is a success in the spring, they will be addressing concerns over the winter months.
“This will include a re-think of the 30-kilometre-an-hour maximum speed limit,” he said in the release.
Qualicum Beach Coun. Bill Luchtmeijer said at the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities, town council spoke with Stone about some of its concerns and complications with the use of golf carts on roads.
“We weren’t just going to jump in without doing all our homework on something that wasn’t feasible,” Luchtmeijer told The NEWS.
Luchtmeijer said that council isn’t going to say no to further discussion on the topic.
“We realize that the concept of slow-moving vehicles is probably a good idea,” Luchtmeijer said. “How to carry that out is a whole different story.”
As a result of community input, and discussion with both Qualicum Beach and Chase councils, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will be taking some time address concerns over the use of golf carts on roads.
Stone said the program was designed to provide people, particularly seniors, with more transportation options so they could stay engaged in their community and access the services that make their lives better.
Stone said that over the last couple of months the province and mayors and councils of Qualicum Beach and Chase have been engaging with residents to get feed back on the pilot project.
“We have received a number of ideas, and some concerns, most notably with respect to setting 30-kilometre-an-hour maximum speeds on roads where these vehicles would travel,” Stone said.
Luchtmeijer said council and town staff is still doing background work on what might be required for the golf carts and the roads.
“The concept of a pilot project is you work out all those things, then you move ahead,” Luchtmeijer said.