LTC considering expanding express bus pilot project

CTV London: LTC may add more express routes The London Transit Commission is considering additional express routes after the success of a pilot project. Cara Campbell reports.

The London Transit Commission may add an express route from London's downtown to White Oaks Mall, after the success of the 90 Express to Masonville Place.

Last September, the LTC introduced the 90 Express, and the organization says it has been more successful than they had hoped, with over 500 people using it daily.

The 14-minute route with just four stops between its departure and destination was intended to help ease congestion in the area of Western University.

The express routes are part of a $380-million plan for a bus rapid transit service that would include more express routes and bus-only lanes by 2020.

The new route would cost over $200,000 and while the LTC says riders have put it near the top of the priority list, more research is needed.

Larry Ducharme, LTC general manager, says "We want to talk to our customers, do an online survey. We're going to have a drop-in session just to talk about - here's all the demands and your requests, which ones are really the priority."

Ducharme is encouraged by the $29 billion the province has announced for transit - and hopes some of that money could go towards the bus rapid transit.

"$15 billion applied to the Greater Toronto - Hamilton area, $14 billion would apply to outside that area, and we're sitting front and centre as far as I'm concerned in that area."

Bus rapid transit has been on the city's wishlist for some time, and there could be money in Thursday's Liberal's budget to help make it a reality.