Deputy mayor steers proposed bus pass pilot project through council
A picture is worth a thousand words, and maybe a couple votes on council.
Deputy mayor Shawn Lewis sent colleagues a series of photographs taken of London Transit’s #7 bus travelling towards Clarke Road Secondary School on Tuesday morning.
He supplied them as evidence that there’s enough unused capacity to fit more high school students on board.
Last week, the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee recommended city staff develop a draft agreement with the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) and London Transit Commission (LTC) for a pilot project at Clarke Road Secondary School with Grade 9 students receiving free bus passes this September, and Grade 9 and Grade 10 students next September.
“I wanted you to see with your own eyes, there are capacity opportunities on these buses, there are seats available right now,” he said during Tuesday’s council meeting.
However, Coun. David Ferreira responded with ridership data from London Transit’s #35 bus route that also serves the area around the school, “6 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the morning it’s at 134 per cent capacity, at peak time in the afternoon from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. it’s at 150 per cent capacity.”
Lewis asserts that 200 per cent capacity is the maximum passenger load, when all the seats are full plus an equal number of passengers are standing.
He believes nine different bus routes that stop at Argyle Mall could potentially serve students.
Ferreira sought to defeat Lewis’ motion and table a competing proposal to consult with London Transit before choosing a school, funding source, and methodology for the pilot project.
“We’re not the experts. As a former commissioner of the LTC, I would like to hear [from] LTC,” said Coun. Anna Hopkins.
Coun. Jerry Pribil, who currently sits on the LTC with Ferreira decided to support Lewis’ motion.
“I’ll support this motion because that’s the only thing that potentially gives us a chance to start this September,” Pribil explained.
After a lengthy debate, council voted 8-6 (McAlister absent) to direct staff to develop a draft agreement with TVDSB and LTC.
A final decision will be made by council this summer.
Following the meeting, Lewis flatly rejected suggestions that Clarke Road Secondary School was chosen for the pilot project because it’s in his ward.
“There’s zero merit to the idea that this was picked by myself or by Coun. [Peter] Cuddy,” he replied. “The Thames Valley District School Board picked the school. They passed a motion back in February identifying the school.”
The London Transit Commission will get a verbal report about the proposed pilot project at its meeting April 24.
The deputy mayor offered this message to commissions who do not want to support taking the next step towards an agreement.
“If the commission doesn’t choose to do this, then they will have to respond to the public inquiries as to why,” he added. “And they may end up facing a council direction that they’re going to do it regardless, because ultimately the commission exists because council created a commission.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6979879.1722078054!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'We will rebuild': A look inside the wildfire devastation in Jasper
During a tour of the town with Ireland, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and other dignitaries on Friday, the indiscriminate nature of the wildfires could be seen everywhere, with Jasper National Park's glorious mountain peaks overlooking the devastation.
'It's completely gone.' After fast-moving wildfire destroys brother's home, one woman opens her own to evacuees
Kim Titchener knows first-hand how caring the Jasper community can be, and she's hoping to give back as much as possible now that the town and its people are in need.
Celine Dion delivers stirring comeback performance at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Against the rainy Paris night sky, Celine Dion staged the comeback of her career with a powerful performance from the Eiffel Tower to open the Olympic Games.
FBI says Trump was indeed struck by bullet during assassination attempt
Nearly two weeks after Donald Trump's near assassination, the FBI confirmed Friday that it was indeed a bullet that struck the former president's ear, moving to clear up conflicting accounts about what caused the former president's injuries after a gunman opened fire at a Pennsylvania rally.
Beloved Fredericton stone beaver statues getting second life with conservation
A team in Fredericton, N.B. is using toothbrushes, scalpels and steamers to spray, pick, massage and brush a 1,300 kilogram limestone sculpture of two beavers that has sat in the heart of the city for more than six decades.
New numbers confirm one-third of Jasper townsite destroyed in this week's wildfire
One-third of all structures in the townsite of Jasper are gone, burned to the ground in this week’s wildfire, officials confirmed Friday.
Taylor Swift's museum era is on full display at London's V&A
Taylor Swift fans who missed her world tour or those who can’t get enough of her can catch her at the museum this summer.
Missing 3-year-old boy found dead in creek in Mississauga, Ont.: police
A three-year-old boy has been found dead a day after he went missing in a park in Mississauga, Ont., Peel police say.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn for $146,000 water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six-figure water bill.