Re: Think of seniors in transit plans, Our View, July 6, 2011.
I’d like to add a comment to the column. I live on Spencer Road in a manufactured home park and am a senior.
Many of the residents have mobility issues. Transit did not consider seniors or those with mobility issues when they made changes to the No. 50 route nor with the new bus terminal.
They removed the No. 50 Goldstream from making a loop on Dunford Avenue, Carlow Road and Goldstream Avenue. Although buses going to their destinations follow this route and take Spencer Road, the community buses do not run as often.
Transit has received many complaints and at least one petition. Their reasoning is that Jacklin Road has more density.
Someone should take a ride along Dunford and look at the new housing. You have Spencer school and townhouses on the corner of Spencer and Goldstream. The No. 50 from downtown does not provide us with a direct route home.
The Langford exchange — no washrooms, nowhere to get out of the elements. Sometimes you are out there waiting for a bus and it could be an hour or more for a Sooke bus. It’s dark and not many people are around — you don’t feel very safe.
Many of us have brought these issues to BC Transit and Langford, but no one is listening. They don’t seem to understand that many of us are now using our cars or getting rides from our neighbours instead of using transit.
I’d like a study done, as maybe there are other communities with similar issues.
Donna Mollin
Langford