Nova Scotia's Segway bill lays out rules for use on roads

Nova Scotia wants to become the first Canadian province to legalize Segways on sidewalks, bike lanes and roads.

A bill introduced in the Nova Scotia legislature Thursday to that end features a number of restrictions, including needing to have a bell or horn installed. Riders also could not travel on roads with a speed limit over 60 km/h.

The government plans to enact the new rules as soon as the House passes the bill.

Nova Scotia's Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan says a pilot project launched in May 2014 has proven so successful, he is ready to move ahead before the end of the two-year trial.

"If we're going to have Segways on the road, obviously there has to be rules and regulations and safety measures in place," said the minister.

Such safety measures include the mandatory use of helmets and giving pedestrians and cyclists the right of way on sidewalks and bike lanes.

'No negative feedback'

Riders cannot go faster than 20 km/h on roadways and no more than seven km/h on sidewalks. You also have to be at least 16 years old to operate one, or 14 with permission from a parent or guardian.

MacLellan said the decision was fuelled by the public response to department-sponsored surveys.

"From a consultation perspective, there has been no negative feedback whatsoever, said MacLellan. 

Max Rastelli, owner of Segway Nova Scotia, couldn't be happier with the change.

"It's huge. We've been almost four years now working towards this."

Rastelli runs a Segway tour business on the Halifax waterfront and thinks this new bill could allow him to expand to other communities.

"Certainly we can continue and grow doing the tourism side of things that we do, but I think now there'll be a real interest in perhaps individuals looking at Segways as another mode of transportation even on the commercial side," Rastelli said.

"Police forces are interested, postal workers and so on, so there's a lot of commercial applications for these products."