A group of transit riders spoke before Burnaby City Council on Monday to advocate for a rapid bus route in the city that would feature a new lane on Hastings Street.
Denis Agar with Metro Vancouver Transit Riders says the region badly needs a rapid route connecting the North Shore to hubs in Burnaby, such as the Heights and Metrotown.
He says transit riders in the Burnaby Heights area who want to go to North Vancouver are sometimes forced to use ride-sharing because the buses are just too busy.
“We heard from multiple people that they have to take $20 Uber rides just to get to school or to get to work because the 222 — the bus that currently runs to the North Shore — is full by the time it gets to Burnaby Heights, and they can’t get on,” he said.
But business groups in the area say a bus lane would take away much needed parking spaces. They say while the rapid bus route is a good idea, it shouldn’t go through the Heights itself.
Agar says lanes would take away an average of one parking spot per business and Hastings has enough parking lots that businesses can rely on instead.
“They’re, understandably, really afraid for the future of their businesses … and they see lanes as a potential threat,” Agar said.
“So we’re really out here trying to convince them that it is the right move for their businesses.”
Metro Vancouver Transit Riders says having a rapid bus lane on Hastings would also increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
Spencer Powell is a volunteer with Movement, an organization that works to advocate for access to transit throughout Burnaby. He says he lives in the city and has dealt with transit issues for years.
“I’m constantly missing the bus, or there’s delays, or there’s an accident on the bridge, which means that things are backed up. Every time there’s a collision like that on Willingdon, Hastings, any of these major arterials, everything slows down,” he said
Powell says the Heights needs the rapid bus route because the area is growing rapidly.
“There’s a long-term neighbourhood plan to make it sort of a village, and we’re building more rental units,” he said.
“We’re building more social housing, so it’s a place that’s growing, a lot of new young families are moving to the region, and we really think that it would be a disservice to them if they didn’t get really excellent, AAA grade transit from there.”