Dear Editor:
On Nov. 22, TransLink held the 2013 Bus Service Optimization Open House at Royal City Centre.
Their new proposal affecting bus #154 - Braid/22 Street Station is very logical on a map but doesn't serve hundreds of seniors. Approximately 500 seniors live north of the Safeway at Eighth Avenue and McBride Boulevard. They take the #154 to get to the city centre, the mall, doctors, dentists, library and shopping. Many of them are limited in how far they can walk, many use walkers or scooters.
The new proposed route will go straight across Eighth Avenue with no jog to Sixth and Sixth. It will help with the congestion in our busy centre, but on the other hand it will impact services in that area: more people will take the HandyDart, or use Taxi Savers. Some will just stay home. The library's Home Service will increase.
At times I have counted 15 to 20 people waiting for the #154 at Eighth Avenue and McBride. Many are seniors or disabled and have bus passes. The TransLink associate I spoke with at the open house said this route was only busy at rush hours. I wonder if the passes are even counted. Passes are just shown to the drivers as the fare boxes chew them up in a few months (they are very flimsy).
If you wish your voice to be heard on Service Optimization, go to www.translink.ca/serviceop (fill out the survey), contact Kate Grossman, TransLink, 1600 - 4720 Kingsway, Burnaby, V5H 4N2 (to be received by Dec. 14), phone Kate Grossman 604453-4660, email [email protected] (before Dec. 13).
Tell them where you want to go and how this change will impact your life.
Barbara Hilstad, New Westminster
