BC We Need A Bus Day rally highlights urgent need for improved transit
By Lone Sheep Publishing
People in support of better public transit rallied at the main intersection entering Nelson Friday.
The “BC We Need A Bus Day” rally saw people rally to draw attention to the lack of public transportation in the region.
“I love Nelson, but I’d love to be able to go somewhere else to every once in awhile,” said Kathy Hartley, holding her sign: “I need a bus to anywhere.”
Organized by West Kootenay Transit Action, the rally highlighted the need for a big boost in bus public transit services.
“I need a bus to the Trail hospital”, “I need a bus to visit my grandchildren,” “I need a bus to get to work” read some of the signs held up by the two dozen members of the public at the BC We Need A Bus Day rally.
Bus supporters, many of them seniors, lined the highway in Nelson Friday, waving signs about how they need more public bus transit. “I need a bus to the Trail hospital”, “I need a bus to visit my grandchildren,” “I need a bus to get to work” read some of the signs held up by the two dozen or so folks supporting BC We need a bus day.
Keith Wiley a volunteer with West Kootenay Transit Action, said numerous people responded to the call for improvements to the transit “and it’s not just those who are stranded when there’s not enough transit service.”
Wiley said the West Kootenay Transit Action wants to put major expansion of public bus transit on the agenda for the coming provincial election in the province.
“Municipalities and regional districts currently pay about half the cost of public bus services, and they have no easy way to double their contributions for just some of the increase in transit services we need,” Wiley explained.
“The province and the federal government have to steer a lot more transportation spending into much larger fully functional bus transit systems in communities all across the country.”
Wiley said another event was scheduled for Victoria during the weekend with the Raging Grannies and folks there are saying they need more buses too.
“We’ve had calls from across the province from people who want to support the cause of better public bus transit,” said Wiley, “it’s not just here in the Kootenays.”
Wouldn’t it be great to have a bus so you don’t need to have a personal car to get into, said Sarah Simonet. “I need a bus so I don’t have to rely on polluting personal cars,” said her sign. — Submitted photo
