Jan. 31, 2023
Photo: Burlington Transit
BFAST is supporting Aldershot seniors in their efforts to maintain bus service for hundreds of retirees against the threat of redrawing a popular route. Service to part of Route 4 has been threatened by what organizers call a small but vociferous group that wants to eliminate transit in their area..
A public meeting on the issue, sponsored by Burlington Transit, will be held at the Central Library on Thursday, Feb. 16 from 6-8 pm. Attendees can get there via Route 4, or by shuttle from the bus stop on Lasalle Park Road at North Shore Boulevard West or on Fairwood Place West at Aldershot School. To register for the shuttle, email contactbt@burlington.ca.
The Partnering Aldershot Seniors Committee, a sub-committee of the Partnering Aldershot group of community organizations, businesses and elected representatives, says the rerouting could affect a total of over 2,000 Burlington Transit riders, many of whom are retirees.
The rerouting might satisfy a few people. But it would cause service cuts for hundreds of others as well as operational problems for Burlington Transit.
“Given the commitment of our current Council and Burlington Transit Leadership to improving service levels and increasing ridership, I urge you to stay true to these guiding principles, resist the pressure of local NIMBYism and keep the current routing on the #4 bus as the best way to serve the greatest number of Aldershot residents,” urged Ward 1 resident and BFAST member Jim Young in a letter to Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith and Burlington Transit Director Catherine Baldelli.
BFAST Steering Committee Chair Doug Brown said the issue was a reminder of the “bad old days” of Burlington Transit, when complaints from as few as a single resident could be an excuse for the anti-transit City Council of the time to cut service to an entire street.
“The new City Council rejected that approach after the 2018 election,” said Brown. “We ask that Burlington Transit and Council again take a stand for the thousands of current and future Burlington Transit riders who would be hurt by this move.”
One thought on “BFAST supports Aldershot seniors fighting bus route cut”
It appears to me that it’s a small minority of people, or one person, in Aldershot that find it offensive to have the number four BT bus drive through the neighbourhood.