Rapid buses are back on the table
Posted Jan 19, 2011 10:12:38 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Buses are back on the table as Regional Council moves forward with plans for rapid transit.
Cambridge mayor Doug Craig brought a motion forward Wednesday night to re-open the debate, asking that staff compile a report comparing light rail to rapid bus service.
The motion got support from most of Craig’s peers.
Regional Councillor and Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr says he’s in favour of bringing information on bus rapid transit forward because it’s important for the public to understand why the last Council chose light rail.
Zehr says that decision wasn’t communicated as well as it needed to be and Council now has a second opportunity to engage the public.
Staff have been assigned to come up with a plan to better inform the public on both options for rapid transit.
Light rail is expected to cost almost 800 million dollars, while rapid bus service is a few hundred million dollars less.
The provincial government also gave Council more than 200 million dollars less than expected for the light rail system.
Councillor Tom Galloway says he previously supported the LRT, but says now that they know the financial numbers, they need to make sure they are making the best decision because he says the gap in funding is not affordable.
Galloway says they’ll have to either scope the project to make it less costly, or look at the alternatives, such as rapid bus service.
The report on both options is expected to be presented to Councillors next week.
