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VICTORIA – The Province is committing $4.3 million towards a new Malahat commuter bus service between the Cowichan Valley and downtown Victoria, Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon and BC Transit CEO Manuel Achadinha announced today.
The new service will be part of the $14-billion Provincial Transit Plan, which aims to double transit ridership provincewide by 2020 by increasing choices for travellers. The plan also focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cars by 4.7 millions tonnes cumulatively by 2020.
“Commuters from the Cowichan Valley will soon have a comfortable, affordable and environmentally friendly alternative to driving into Victoria in their cars every day,” Falcon said today. “They can take the bus and relax while helping to relieve congestion on the Malahat.”
The Province has committed to funding 100 per cent of the cost of the eight new buses for the service, a total cost of $4 million. It has also agreed to pay $362,000 each year towards the operating expenses of the service. BC Transit, the Victoria Regional Transit Commission and the Cowichan Valley Regional District are working in partnership with the Province on this venture, and are working out the remaining funding and operating details.
The commuter service will run from Duncan to Victoria, and from Shawnigan Lake to Victoria every weekday morning, with the reverse trip in the evening. Both routes will have three round trips each day. The service is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2008.
“Congestion on Highway 1 during peak times is a real issue for travellers throughout the capital region,” said Hon. Ida Chong, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. “This new bus service will be convenient for valley commuters, and may also relieve some of that rush hour traffic.”
“This funding supports BC Transit’s vision to link communities, businesses and people’s lifestyles,” said Achadinha. “Anytime we introduce a new service, it provides people the opportunity to use transit to and from work but also it offers people different ways to be part of the climate change solution.”
The commuter service is a key recommendation of the Malahat Corridor Study, which was released last June. The study researched options for increasing safety and reliability along the highway. The study recommended a commuter bus service on the Malahat as a way of decreasing congestion.
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contact: |
Communications Director Ministry of Transportation 250 387-7787 |
Communications BC Transit 250 995-5610 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
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