TransLink is proposing to rejig some North Shore transit routes, including eliminating a direct bus from West Vancouver to UBC and having an express bus make fewer stops from Horseshoe Bay to downtown Vancouver.
Seven North Shore bus routes would been affected under the potential changes, aimed at redirecting transit resources to areas of higher transit usage including the new Evergreen Line in the Tri-Cities.
A proposed redesign of the 257 express bus route from Horseshoe Bay to downtown Vancouver cuts out some stops in between.
TransLink spokeswoman Jennifer Morland said 85 per cent of people riding the 257 are going from downtown Vancouver directly to Park Royal or Horseshoe Bay.
Eliminating a bus that directly connects students in West Vancouver with UBC, the No. 258, is also being considered.
To compensate for that proposed change, which would see students having to transfer to another bus, TransLink is looking at increasing service on the 250 and 44 Express buses that travel to UBC. Morland said the 258 has been identified as a high-cost passenger route because of lower ridership.
Introducing a two-way service for the 254/256 routes, connecting the British Properties with Park Royal, would prevent riders from going around in a circle just to get to Marine Drive, said Morland.
Meanwhile, when the SeaBus isn’t running, the 242 and N24 Lynn Valley/Upper Lonsdale buses travel the same route up Lonsdale until 29th Street, where the 242 continues north and the N24 takes a right. TransLink said it’s looking at mirroring those routes to make it less confusing for riders.
TransLink is asking for public feedback on the proposed changes until Nov. 6 in the form of a survey which can found online at translink.ca.
Morland said some of the proposed transit changes, of which there are 85 Lower Mainland-wide, could be implemented as early as 2016.
