Bus stop brouhaha

Darren Handschuh - CASTANET Jan 11, 2016 / 4:30 pm | 

There may not be much they can do, but Vernon city council will be going to bat for bus riders heading to the Village Green Centre. Currently, plans are in place to move the bus stop from the food court doors to nearby 48th Avenue. BC Transit said the move is necessary because of safety concerns, citing several incidents with vehicles and pedestrians. Council is concerned seniors and people with mobility issues will have to walk through the parking lot in winter conditions. Amanda Watson, municipal transportation engineer, said options have been discussed like maintaining the current system, but add curbing to reduce potential accidents or relocate the stop to the side of the mall at The Bay entrance. Watson said the mall presented an option similar to the status quo, but without the curbing and wanted to add two more parking spots. The idea was shot down by BC Transit. Watson said the groups involved have been working on the problem for two years and it was decided to move the stop to the road. Coun. Brian Quiring said the best option in his mind was to move the bus stop to The Bay, because there is less vehicle and pedestrian traffic in that area. “Can we at least look at the option of right outside The Bay,” said Coun. Juliette Cunningham. “I am not sure what we can do as council to come to some better resolution, but to me this is not a good option.” Watson said the first choice for BC Transit was to add curbing, with moving the stop to The Bay as their second option, but the mall does not want either option. Mayor Akbal Mund pointed out Orchard Park in Kelowna has a bus stop at the side of the mall next to The Bay. “They seem to make it work,” said Mund. Coun. Bob Spiers suggested the date to move the bus stop to 48 Avenue be delayed until April, but was told transit drivers can refuse to enter the parking lot because of the possibility of an incident. In the end, council agreed to send a letter to mall administration expressing their concerns about moving the bus stop.