London Transit is working with a consultant to design a new type of public transit service in London that would link passengers to the existing bus network. An Alternate Service Delivery (ASD) system has been used by other cities in neighbourhoods that may not initially warrant a full conventional route based on estimated ridership demands. A report to the London Transit Commission (LTC) reads, “This type of service has been utilized in many jurisdictions as a way to offer access to public transit to areas in an effort to grow ridership, which ultimately results in the addition of a conventional route when ridership meets the required thresholds.” The ASD service would require passengers in two proposed service zones to schedule a trip on a shuttle using an app. Utilizing a “Stop to Hub” design, the service would include shuttle stops in the ASD zones where passengers would be picked-up and taken to a nearby transit hub where they can join the existing bus system. “It’s an opportunity to get transit into an area where it may not be viable to go in with a conventional route, but we can start to build that ridership,” explained London Transit General Manager Kelly Paleczny. Preliminarily, two ASD zones are being considered: Zone 1– Fox Hollow area bounded by Hyde Park, Wonderland, Fanshawe Park Road and Sunningdale. Stops would be located within the area with main destinations of the Hyde Park Power Centre at Fanshawe and Hyde Park and Masonville Mall. Zone 2– three, non-adjacent areas within north Lambeth and south Byron which fall outside of the 400-meter travel distance to a fixed route service, Stops would be located within each of the zones and connect to major destinations such as Hyde Park and Oxford and Westmount Mall allowing for connections to the fixed route network. Its estimated that the two zones could serve 22,700 riders each year and bring public transit within walking distance (400 metres) of 6,632 homes. Ankit Nagpal lives in Zone 1 and says transit riders face long walks to bus stops on Fanshawe Park Road, “It takes them almost 18 minutes or 20 minutes to get to the nearest transit station.” He explains the neighbourhood has many bus riders who live in basement apartments or ARUs (additional residential units), “I think that would be a great move especially for a neighborhood like this, where we have a lot of students from Western University.” Paleczny emphasizes that the analysis is still underway, “This was identified in our five-year service plan, (as) one of the options moving forward, so we’re working right now with a consulting firm to come up with the actual implementation plan.” The consultant’s report is expected in October. In the meantime, staff are recommending the transit commission include $1.5 million for the ASD initiative in a business case for assessment growth funding from city hall in March, 2027. The LTC will consider a next steps on Aug. 31.
