Downtown users of public transit are calling proposed changes in OC Transpo’s optimization plan “cuts to essential services” that will impact the way people commute and threaten the independence of seniors and people with disabilities.
OC Transpo’s plan to optimize services by reducing hours, consolidating, or, in some cases, cutting routes was presented to the transit commission late last month. It outlines changes that would affect about 11,000 transit users.
“In this society, freedom of mobility is the same as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, or freedom of expression,” said Ron Sorobey, at the first of five planned public consultations.
Sorobey, an advocate for people with disabilities, attended the meeting with a friend who is legally blind and relies on the No. 3, a bus that would no longer run under the proposed changes.
“He’ll have to walk five blocks; that’s difficult,” said Sorobey about his friend.
“I’ve seen people get on the bus in wheelchairs, crutches or they’re blind and they are heroic. That bus line is their lifeline, take that away from them and they’re shut-ins,” he said.
The changes have potential implications for Special Olympian Melanie Heroux, who relies on the bus to attend hockey practice.
“On the board they mention changes to bus 149 and that’s the bus I take to play my sports,” she said.
Heroux lives at the bottom of a hill and route changes to the No. 149 that would reduce the hours of service would mean climbing the hill with her hockey equipment.
As a person with a disability, Heroux’s only other option would be to take a taxi, which would cost at least $30, she said.
Access to hospitals would also become more difficult if planned changes proceed, Centretown resident Louise Laporte said after the meeting.
Changes to bus route No.16 would require residents living downtown to take at least three buses to get to the General Hospital, said Laporte.
Changes to the No.5 would affect transit to the Montfort Hospital and cuts to the No.6 route, which received considerable opposition from attendees, mean it would no longer connect to the Civic Hospital, ending instead at Carling Station.
“Who is designing this stuff and are they taking the buses?” asked Laporte.
“They seem to be concentrating their transit policy on getting federal workers to and from their jobs and that’s fine, and that needs to be done, but then, what about the rest of the world who need transit to get around in their day-to-day lives over and above going to work?” she asked.
Other concerns Laporte raised include access to the Greyhound bus station on Catherine Street and the implications urban density will have on traffic.
“We’re building these huge condos downtown, but if people don’t have adequate bus services they’re going to be in their cars and you’re going to have more traffic,” she said.
The changes would also have repercussions for OC Transpo users such as Amber Seeds, a Centretown resident with a daily commute of over an hour.
“It’s already a nightmare to get to work,” she said.
Based on proposed changes, an additional 20 minutes of walking would be added to Seeds’ day, making her total time spent going to and from work about two hours and 40 minutes.
Route optimization could lead to savings of $19.5 million annually and $6.5 million in 2011.
Seeds said she is willing to pay higher taxes if it would mean maintaining the services offered by the city.
“I am not opposed to raising property taxes, but you can’t cut things that people depend on,” she said, “It’s getting so ridiculous, I’m just going to buy a car.”
OC Transpo will continue collecting feedback until April 7. The final recommendations for changes will be tabled on April 13. According to the OC Transpo website, approved changes will be implemented on Sept. 4.