Could 'Bus Rapid Transit' be coming to London?

CTV London: Is BRT worth the big price tag? London is moving closer to getting 'Bus Rapid Transit,' but funding must come from all levels of government. Bryan Bicknell has more.

The City of London may be closer to faster, direct bus service for commuters, but the price tag for Bus Rapid Transit could be the biggest hurdle.

This week the London Transit Commission (LTC) will consider a business plan for the service, which would come at a total cost of $300 o $400 million.

Larry Ducharme, LTC general manager, says “We’ve never asked for this amount of money.”

The cost for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) would be divided equally between the three levels of government and the rate of return is estimated at 11 per cent.

But London Mayor Joe Fontana admits getting the cash will be no small task “We know that we’ve got some aspirations to make sure that 12 to 15 per cent of our people can use public transit, and if that happens we save an awful lot on road construction.”

London North Centre MPP Deb Matthews has said the province will entertain funding based on a business plan.

Meanwhile London West MP Ed Holder says dividends from the gas tax already cover the federal contribution.

“What the federal government has done is they've provided infrastructure funding to the tune of two per cent gas tax money, which for London represents $21 to 22 million a year. It seems to me if the municipality feels that that's a very good idea, that that would be a really potentially applicable project.”

The BRT plan calls for dedicated bus lanes on major east/west and north/south routes.

Riders will be able to try out the concept in September, when the LTC introduces a pilot project called BRT Light, with express buses running from Masonville Place to downtown.

The buses would arrive at the mall every 30 minutes, take 17 minutes to get downtown, 15 minute to get back and have just six stops on a one-way route.

Ducharme adds “Take that concept and take the 17 minutes and make it 10 or even five, that’s what the BRT will do.”

The big question is whether BRT will encourage more commuters to leave the car at home.

Once approved, the full implementation of Bus Rapid Transit would take five to seven years.