Though they have gone through many rounds of consultation, London’s transit plans for the future are not confirmed. Many ideas and blueprints have been put forward, however nothing has been established as to how the Bus Rapid Transit will go about this extensive upgrade. One of the many issues up for discussion includes whether to run buses in dedicated center lanes or curb lanes.
This week the public gets to voice their opinion on how they feel about the Bus Rapid Transit Systems plans. The first of the public hearings kicked off this morning at the London Public Library on Dundas.
The public were greeted to dozens of bulletins explaining the numerous plans such as adding lanes to busy roads, median bus stops, and rideshare services like Uber.
Project director Jennie Ramsay, along with staff, were eager to answer questions surrounding the upgrades. She says they’ve had many conversations with the public through consultation over the last year.
“They’re worried about property impacts, daily commuting, and impacts to traffic. These are the things that we want to address in today’s meeting. “
Ramsay adds that she wants to focus on educating everyone about the benefits of city wide transit.
“We want to help them understand the different designs. We want them to have a say in what those designs look like so that they’re part of the solution going forward.”
Among the ideas sprung out by the public, one that stands out is getting rid of the bus system entirely with drivers working under Uber. The town of Innisfil did this recently and found that it is cheaper than to fund buses and hire bus drivers.
Mayor Matt Brown also attended the hearing, calling the discussions more than a way of moving around the city, but a way of growing our community as a whole.
The following dates are the remaining public hearings regarding BRT.
Dec. 12: Aeolian Hall, 795 Dundas St., 2-6 p.m., presentation at 3 p.m.
Dec. 13: Oakridge secondary school, 1040 Oxford St. W., 5:30-8:30 p.m., presentation, 6:30 p.m.
Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre, 551 Windermere Rd., 6-9 p.m., presentation, 7 p.m.
Dec. 14: Central Library, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., presentation, noon
Four Points by Sheraton, 1150 Wellington Rd., 5-8 p.m., presentation, 6 p.m.
