March 26, 2020
A packed meeting room at the Burlington Seniors’ Centre was the scene of the 2019 Transit Users Forum.
Following is the text of a statement from BFAST Steering Committee Chair Doug Brown:
I regret to inform you that the 2020 Burlington Transit Users’ Forum, scheduled for May 9, has been postponed. While no new date has been set, we will examine holding the Forum this Fall when the picture becomes more clear with regard to the COVID-19 virus.
In light of the Forum’s postponement, I especially want to take the opportunity to thank all the staff of Burlington Transit for their dedication and courage in keeping the system moving in this challenging time.
This postponement is a disappointment to all of us, but we at BFAST will continue to make submissions to City Council and staff to promote continuing improvements to a transit system that was making excellent progress in providing better service and significantly increasing ridership before the virus hit.
We see three major issues for transit on the agenda now. The first is to ensure that our City Council continues to support improvements to the system. The second is to make Council aware that, while we support the City’s efforts to develop a Climate Action Plan, its current approach will worsen traffic congestion and not achieve the admirable goals it sets forth. (see our brief to Council on this issue.) The third is to participate in the development of the City’s Integrated Mobility Program. To this end, we have been meeting regularly with City staff to help ensure the Plan points us toward a transit-oriented future.
Despite our disappointment in postponing the Transit Users’ Forum, we are excited and optimistic about the medium-term prospects for transit in Burlington and look forward to continued progress.
As always, if you have any questions, comments or contributions, we would be happy to hear from you.