Couns. Eadie, Wyatt want to allow taxis to use diamond lanes

A pair of city councillors wantWinnipeg to re-examine the idea of allowing taxis to use rush-hour diamond lanes.

Couns. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) and Russ Wyatt (Transcona) have authored a notice of motion asking city staff to create a pilot project that would allow taxis and Handi-Transitvehicles to drive on diamond lanes, which are currently restricted to buses and bicycles.

Their motion calls for the Graham Avenue transit corridor to be excluded from the pilot project. It also calls for no pickupsand dropoffs on diamond lanes during rush hours.

• Traffic cam curbing diamond-lane offences: transit

Executive policy committee considered a similar motion in 2010. "Nothing was ever done to allow taxis to use diamond lanes," the councillors write.

Their motion will be referred to council's public works committee in October.

In a separate motion, Coun. Scott Gillingham (St. James-Brooklands) wants the city to see whether it can draft a bylaw governing the use and sale of drones.

• Gillingham wants to know whether drone bylaw might fly

As well, Coun. Jason Schreyer (Elmwood-EastKildonan) filed a notice of motion calling for public hearings about future water-and-waste rate hikes. That motion will come before the October council meeting.