Last June BC Transit made wholesale reductions in service to Central Saanich calling them service improvements.
At the time when many in Central Saanich expressed their displeasure with the transit service improvements we were assured the fall schedule would address some of the concerns. The fall schedule has no improvements over the summer schedule.
Even worse, some of the commuter buses are far too small and infrequent to service the passenger load. Many are left standing at the bus stop because the bus is too full; others leave the bus early because the strain of standing from Saanichton all the way into Victoria in a crowded bus is too much for them.
Standing room only on a bus may be acceptable for a few city blocks but to require passengers to stand for half an hour while the bus careens down a busy highway is unsafe. They are putting not only the passengers at serious risk, but an overcrowded bus at highway speeds puts every other vehicle on the highway at risk.
When will BC Transit provide service to the residents of Central Saanich? Many improvements to the service in Central Saanich are required to even approach the level of service provided elsewhere in Victoria, areas that are paying the same subsidy for transit yet are deemed more deserving of receiving value for their money.
An easy improvement would be an express stop at Mt. Newton and the highway instead of the express bus providing no service to Central Saanich.
Norm Ryder,
Central Saanich