Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad and Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond say the NDP government must take action to ensure that Greyhound keeps running in northern B.C.
Greyhound Canada has recently filed an application with the B.C. Passenger Transportation Board to discontinue passenger service on five routes, including their daily route through 亚洲天堂 Lake.
In a statement released last week, the Liberal MLAs call on B.C.鈥檚 transportation minister Claire Trevena to 鈥渋mmediately sit down with Greyhound officials and find a solution.鈥�
Rustad says inaction is not an option.
鈥淭revena can鈥檛 just throw her hands up and say it鈥檚 not her problem,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople in indigenous communities, especially elders, women and youth, rely on safe transportation, as do seniors in Fraser Lake and all along the corridor.鈥�
Bond said northern B.C. residents rely on Greyhound, particularly during the winter season to travel safely between communities for a variety of reasons.
鈥淣o service will be devastating to them 鈥� particularly seniors 鈥� and leave them with few options,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have already had constituents calling and emailing me expressing their significant concern.鈥�
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 the first time the company has threatened to discontinue routes, but solutions were found to keep the service operating until now,鈥� she continued. 鈥淚t鈥檚 incumbent on the minister to get Greyhound in a room, share the concerns of northern British Columbians and do that immediately.鈥�
鈥淚f the complete cancellation of services is allowed to happen, an entire region of the province will have very few safe transportation options,鈥� she added.
Minister Trevena released a statement shortly after saying she was 鈥渄eeply concerned鈥� by Greyhound鈥檚 announcement to discontinue services.
鈥淎s an independent body, the Passenger Transportation Board is required to consider this application and render their decision based on the service needs of these communities, as well as the viability of Greyhound鈥檚 business along the route,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e will follow this application closely and look forward to the Passenger Transportation Board鈥檚 review and its final decision.鈥�
鈥淲hile we await the decision of the board, we will work with local governments to explore all options to support affordable transportation in northern B.C., including examining how other jurisdictions have successfully preserved rural bus services,鈥� she added.
Since June, a bus service has been connecting 亚洲天堂 Lake to Prince George and 亚洲天堂 Lake to Smithers three times per week, charging $5 per ticket. This service is part of the province鈥檚 $6.4 million Hwy. 16 transportation action plan, which encompasses transit, community vehicles, First Nations driver education, webcams and bus shelters.
A total of 57 employees will be affected when Greyhound discontinues services. Meanwhile Greyhound鈥檚 passenger services are expected to continue to operate normally until early 2018.
