Belleville Transit implemented a new bus route system May 6, but not all residents are on board with the changes.
Reductions to previous routes have prompted an online petition urging the city to reconsider.
The changes are part of the city’s 2023 transit master plan, aimed in part at improving ridership across the city. According to city data, ridership dropped more than 50 per cent between 2019 and 2021.
Updates include eight new bus routes to replace existing ones, some of which have been in place for several decades. These include the removal of a route along Bridge Street between Church Street and Herchimer Ave, and what was Route 31 in the city’s north end.
Some residents say the city ignored accessibility when it removed some existing routes, however. Loyalist College student Cameron Wilson, who launched the petition, said the reductions create barriers to access.
“The changes to the routes are so significant that people in low-income communities aren’t able to access the buses anymore, and the bus stops are not accessible for people who have, for example, wheelchairs, walkers or canes,” Wilson told CBC’s Ontario Morning.
Ontario Morning7:17Belleville changes bus routes leaving some residents feeling like they missed the bus
Some Belleville residents are unhappy about transit changes made by the city that mean longer walks to the bus stop. Host Molly Thomas speaks with Cameron Wilson, city resident and loyalist college student who student, who started a petition against the changes gaining interest online.
Coun. Kathryn Brown, who chairs Belleville’s Transit Advisory Committee, told Ontario Morning the changes are aimed at improving route times so travellers can cross the city’s core in under 30 minutes. She said the response to the new changes has been overwhelmingly positive, and does not expect the new routes to hinder accessibility.
“Belleville has mixed residential areas throughout our city,” she said. “I think it’s a bit of a disservice to the residents who are working hard for their homes to suggest that they’re low-income.”
Income isn’t the only factor opponents of the new routes say is a barrier to access.
Joe Culp, who signed the online petition, wrote: “I speak on behalf of the disabled who are among those who will be affected by the change, many of whom can’t walk a mile in their shoes to get a bus.”
Ontario Morning8:41Belleville city councillor responds to pushback on transit changes
Chair of Transit Operations Advisory Committee and Councillor, Katheryn Brown speaks with host Molly Thomson about a petition regarding recent changes to transit routes in that city.
Brown said Belleville’s Mobility Bus service is available as an alternative to the traditional bus routes. The fare is the same and provides door-to-door transportation for eligible passengers.
Brown added the city has done significant public consultations and continues to welcome public feedback. The full list of new routes is available on the city’s website.