| EVENTS |
COMMUNITY | FORUM | CONDITIONS | FERRIES |
Transportation
BC Ferries
Kona
Winds Ferry - (BC Ferries)
Gibsons Harbour Ferry
Fall to spring operating as a water taxi service
Call Don anytime 604 886-4910
Mercury
Launch & Tug - (Scheduled Water Taxi)
Gambier
Water Taxi and Barge
Hanson Marine (Water Taxi)
|
26
March 2006
Dear Keats Contacts, |
|||||||||||||||
Dock Eastbourne Wharf & Keats Landing Wharf
Problems?
Chuck Steamers SCRD
(604) 687-5753 or (604) 885-2261
(Ed Note: finish map of scheduled runs.)
02 February 2006
ICBC REVIEWING ISLAND
INSURANCE
Public
input concluding on 24 February
2006
Discuss
this in the Keats Island Forum thread
| From: Bredin, Judy
[mailto:Judy.Bredin@icbc.com] Sent: Friday, February 10, 2006 10:57 AM Attention: Keats Island Property Owners Subject: ICBC PUBLIC CONSULTATION LETTER Dear Stakeholder: ICBC invites your comments regarding the licensing of small utility vehicles on isolated island roadways. Isolated islands are those that are not accessible to vehicles by scheduled ferry service. Many isolated islands have roads which fall under the category of highway and any motor vehicle operating on the highway must be licensed. Please submit your responses prior to February 24, 2006. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BACKGROUND Residents of isolated islands have unique transportation requirements related primarily to road conditions and the lack of vehicle ferry access. Isolated island roadways cover relatively short distances; they have low speed limits, very low traffic volumes, and a predominance of gravel and dirt surfaces. There are typically very few vehicles on these islands as residents need to barge vehicles to and from the island. Since 1997, the Government of British Columbia has provided restricted licensing for golf carts used as general transportation on isolated islands. The unique characteristics of golf carts (small wheel size, limited speed capability, stability, side-by-side seating for driver and passenger, and low noise emissions) met the transportation requirements of many isolated island residents. ICBC has received requests from residents of isolated islands to expand the provisions for golf carts to include small utility vehicles like examples shown below. Utility vehicles share many of the characteristics of golf carts but have an attached delivery body that is well suited to hauling goods to and from docks and around an island. The present regulation limits the use of golf carts to roadways with a posted speed limit of 20 km/hr or less. Island residents have also raised a concern that few if any islands actually have a posted speed limit of 20 km/hr. Most isolated islands typically fall under a regulated, but not posted, speed limit of 50 km/hr.    Small utility vehicles should not be confused with all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) like the example shown. ATVs are designed for the rider to sit astride and do not have an attached delivery body. As such, they are not well suited to carrying passengers or hauling. They accelerate quickly, are designed to be ridden aggressively, and can exceed speeds of 90 km/hr. Because of their operating characteristics, the use of ATVs on roadways is limited to farming or industrial purposes and regulated through a police-issued Operation Permit. A change to Motor Vehicle Act Regulations that would allow the use of small utility vehicles on isolated islands roadways, and specify the conditions of their use, would require a regulatory amendment. [b]ICBC is inviting stakeholder comments on this issue to help determine whether such a regulatory amendment should be proposed to government and if so, what conditions of use should be recommended.[/b] Judy.Bredin@icbc.com Keats Island Vehicle Forum Discussion area is at: http://the-hole.com/keats-island_ca/ki-forum/viewtopic.php?pid=96#p96 |
What
became of the Dogwood?
and Other “Minor” Ferries
In December 2001, B.C. Ferries released the “Wright Report” which was
prepared by Fred R. Wright, an independent financial consultant. In his
report, he analyzed the governance structure, operating framework,
historical financial performance and the current 15-year plan of B.C.
Ferries. The report is designed to provide guidance to the
Provincial government regarding the future operation and
structure of B.C. Ferries.
Our major concern regarding this process is the viability of the Dogwood ferry that serves Gambier and Keats Islands. Particularly those who live on the islands on a full time basis are quite vulnerable to changes in service but all of us at some times and in some ways have needs that are tied to adequate and reliable ferry service. The viability of the minor ferry system is one of the major issues in this report and, coming from a business model, its recommendations tend to examine the specific financial viability of these services rather than looking at the financial functioning of the whole system.
In the following articles, the Islands Trust responds to the outlook
and recommendations of this report. We strongly recommend that you
study
these responses and consider how we as a community or as individuals
can
respond to support Islands Trust in their efforts on our behalf to
protect our ferry service.
ISLANDS TRUST RESPONSES:
2. A detailed examination by Islands Trust personnel of issues raised by the Wright Report.
3. A summary of the issues raised in Section 2.
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