B.C. Transit will restore direct downtown bus service through a Saanich neighbourhood after Gorge-Tillicum residents pushed back against the change, which they said was made without consultation.
A 3.5-kilometre section of the route that ran along Obed Avenue, Cowper Street, Admirals Road and Gorge Road was put on pause for roadwork on Gorge Road starting in June of last year, and did not return as anticipated by residents.
Instead, the less frequent Route 25 was made to run along that section in the opposite direction, with newly built bus shelters on Gorge Road going largely unused as a result.
B.C. Transit initially told the Times Colonist last week that the changes were not made lightly.
But after the Times Colonist reported on how Gorge-Tillicum residents packed a community meeting to standing room only on Sept. 28 to advocate for their bus route, the transit agency said on Friday that Route 11’s path through the western end of Gorge-Tillicum would be restored on Jan. 8, 2024.
It will be part of larger planned service changes in the Victoria Regional Transit System occurring on the same day.
“A change of this nature requires significant time and resources to implement,” B.C. Transit said. “The recent modification that was made to the Route 25 to provide service along Gorge between Admirals and Tillicum will remain in place in January pending further engagement.”
Phil Lancaster, vice-president of the Gorge Tillicum Community Association, said he’s pleased that the Route 11 service will resume in Gorge-Tillicum, even if it’s coming two months later than they hoped. “We raised our voices and we got heard.”
John Lioudakis, general manager of Amica on the Gorge, a multi-level seniors’ care facility in the area where transit service was cut, also wrote to B.C. Transit about how the changes have affected about 175 seniors who live there, calling the new stops “a long-distance walk which is challenging with walkers and canes,” which will worsen in the coming winter.
B.C. Transit said its employees will conduct further consultations with the community about potential service enhancements.
On Oct. 24, at the Scottish Community Centre, 1803 Admirals Rd., Gorge-Tillicum residents will be able to talk to B.C. Transit about possible future enhancements to service, including the possibility of making reductions to routes 24 and 25 for a potential UVic-Esquimalt route via Admirals Road, according to Lancaster.
“We’re delighted with the fact that they’re offering to consult with us now, and I think we could have a very constructive meeting.”
