ATV federation lobbies for stricter trail legislation

All-terrain vehicle [ATV] enthusiasts in New Brunswick are circulating an email petition, asking for a change to the Off-Road Vehicle Act, banning motorized vehicles other than ATVs from ATV-managed trails.

"We just want a small paragraph to be added," said Jacques Poirier, general manager of the New Brunswick All-Terrain Vehicle Federation (NBATVF).

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"We are victims of the presence of those vehiclepickups, four by fours, passenger vehicles, snowmobilers on trails during winter time."

A Toyota sedan droveonto a busy ATV trail on the Acadian Peninsula last week. According to Poirier, the entire trail had to be re-groomed.

"It probably won't stop it all [other motorized vehicles using the trail], but it will reduce it," he said.

We're travelling an average of 40 km/hr, andsnowmobilersare comfortable at 100 km/h.-Jacques Poirier

"When you're not allowed on a trail and somebody sees you and takes a photo, sends it to the RCMP [they have] something to take action."

"Right now we don't have anything."

Though some ATV trails in the province are sharedwith snowmobilers, many are distinct, and unsafe for any vehicle other than an ATV or side-by-side.

Trails dangerous for snowmobiles

"When we build new trails, we like to build sneaky trails. For ATVers, it's better that way," said Poirier.

"When you have to share that kind of trail with snowmobilers, it's really dangerous. Difference of speed is that we're travelling an average of 40 km/hr, and snowmobilers are comfortable at 100 km/h."

The group also hopes to gain quicker access to public roads.

In 2016, Bathurstcity council passed a second reading of a bylaw that would allow ATVs on the East Bathurstbridge.

The bylaw has yet to be read a third time due to provincial red tape.

"Those permits, some of them, are as late as 2012," said Poirier.

"It will bring this new tourism industry,so why not take advantage of it now, and not wait for five years?" he said. "We're losing money doing so."