WHY THE CITY HAS PREVIOUSLY REJECTED BIKE LICENSING
Bicycle licensing has its supporters among the public and some members of council, but Toronto has studied and rejected the idea at least three times since the 1980s. According to the city’s website on the subject, here’s why:
Who would pay?
The administrative costs of maintaining a licensing system are large. While it’s reasonable to expect carowners who spend upwards of $20,000 on their vehicle to cover those costs through licence fees, in the case of cyclists the fees would be disproportionate and “in many cases, the licence would be more expensive than the bicycle itself,” the city says.
Think of the children
Toronto’s original bike licensing bylaw was scrapped in 1957 because officials were concerned it resulted in “an unconscious contravention of the law at a very tender age.” It would be extremely difficult to create a stan- dardized licensing test that could be applied to both adults and children. And while a licensing regime could provide an opportunity to educate kids about safe cycling, the costs of such a program would be significant.
Policing priorities
Officers involved in previous studies told the city that the Highway Traffic Act already gave them the necessary tools to enforce cyclists’ compliance with the rules of the road. Given that they can already enforce the law, asking them to take on the additional task of enforcing licences would be a questionable use of their resources.
Effectiveness
Licensing may not be the most efficient way to ensure that cyclists obey traffic laws. Cheaper options include enforcement blitzes, education campaigns, and the provision of dedicated infrastructure like bike lanes. Compared to these, the “studies have concluded that licensing is not worth it,” the city says.
Cycling is a public good
While concerns about scofflaw cyclists are real, cycling has benefits in the areas of health and the environment. Any initiative to increase compliance with traffic laws “must be a part of an overall strategy to promote safe cycling,” the city says. Instead, licensing may act as a deterrent.