Users of Belleville’s public transit system will see significant changes to bus routes starting in the new year.
Monday, city council approved the recommendations in a detailed transit master plan.
Chair of the Transit Advisory Committee, Councillor Kathryn Brown, told council the number one problem riders had with the current system was that it took far too long to get to destinations.
“we reduced the average transportation time anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes from end to end, to 30 minutes from end to end, simply by reconfiguring some of the routes.”
Some bus stops will be moved or eliminated and some users will need to walk a bit more but never more than 400 metres to catch a bus.
A major public education campaign will be launched soon to inform users of the changes.
Council congratulated Transit Operations Manager Brad Strauss and Joe Reid, General Manager of Transit and Operations Services in coming up with the master plan in cooperation with a transit consulting firm.
On another transit-related issue, Councillor Paul Carr asked Reid what the plans were to service the Potter’s Creek housing developments in the city’s west end, noting residents there were paying taxes for public transit but not receiving the service.
Reid said the current new housing developments were not conducive to public transit but as further development occurs, links will be developed to allow buses to easily run in that area.
Reid also assured Councillor Garnet Thompson that discussions on improving accessible bus service would be held in the not too distant future.
Routes to take effect in new year. (Photo: screen grab Belleville council agenda August 28/23)
