TransLink improves N. Van bus service
North Vancouver transit accessibility is set to improve as TransLink plays Santa and rolls out additional low-floor bus service in time for Christmas.
In November The Outlook reported that North Vancouver has the worst bus service in the Lower Mainland for riders with limited mobility, because most of the 73 buses that run North Van routes are 14- to 16-year-old high-floor buses that are inaccessible for many passengers with mobility issues.
TransLink spokesperson Drew Snider acknowledged a “significant” number of stops in North Vancouver are inaccessible for mobility-challenged riders because on the steep grades it is hard to safely operate bus wheelchair lifts.
“Access is a problem...we’re sensitive to that and trying to address it,” Snider said.
Snider said the problem will be partly alleviated starting Monday Dec. 24 as the #229 Lonsdale/Lynn Valley route will be served with low-floor accessible buses. “Low-floor buses have been re-allocated from the Burnaby Transit Centre to serve that route, which covers an area with a growing population of seniors and people with physical challenges,” Snider said in a release.
He said another service improvement for the North Shore that has been moved up to start on Christmas week is increased frequency on the #239 Park Royal/Lonsdale Quay/Phibbs Exchange/Capilano College. The route, now running at 15 minute intervals, will be increased to 10 minute service during the weekday rush hours.
“This will help provide for the increasing ridership and is expected to encourage more people to take public transit,” Snider said. He added TransLink’s three year transportation plan calls for a service frequency of 10 minutes or better to 70 per cent of North Vancouver residents.
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