New bus route better connects industrial area with London, Ont.

The London Transit Commission launched a new route in the east end of the city Tuesday.

This new route is primarily for workers in the growing Innovation Park area near Veterans Memorial Parkway and Highway 401.

Transit officials said Route-38 will run every weekday from Argyle Mall, down Clarke Road and Hamilton Road, before turning around in Innovation Park.

Temporary signage is going up for now, but officials said permanent infrastructure won’t be installed until the fall.

London, Ont.’s Mayor Josh Morgan said 15 companies in that area employ about 2,500 workers already, including a new business that relocated to the area that’s set to open next week.

The owner said it’s been a nervy few weeks waiting for the route because a third of their workforce needs the bus service.

“It was quite a relief for us to be able to tell them, ‘Look, nothing’s changed. You’re going to get on the bus and go to work like you always have when we were over in aother part of the city that had transit service’,” said Bosco and Roxy’s Owner Jayme Crook.

“To provide that opportunity to the 2,500 employees who are here now, as well as all of the potential future employees, is incredibly important for the city and important for our industrial land development strategy, which is really centred around expansion of jobs in this area,” said Morgan.

City officials said they expect the industrial park to continue growing with the help of this new route.

They will be monitoring usage and rider feedback for the foreseeable future, to make sure their needs are being met.