Community groups urge mayor, council to approve London Transit funding ask

Several community groups are calling on London Mayor Josh Morgan and councillors to give the city's transit system the funding increase it's asking for.

Doing otherwise won't meet the needs of the growing city, will disadvantage low-income residents, and hamper London's economic growth, limiting industrial-area jobs to workers who drive, they say.

"Years of underfunding services has gotten us to this point. Like the climate crisis, it is the marginalized and the low-income households that bear the brunt of this underfunding," said Mary Ann Hodge, co-founder of Climate Action London.

"Do we want a city that requires every individual to own a car in order to get to work, school, get groceries or go to medical appointments? Especially in this economic climate, not everyone can afford to own a car."

Climate Action London staged a news conference Wednesday at First-St. Andrew's United Church, featuring a dozen local organizations who have voiced support for the proposed budget increase. 

It comes a week after London Mayor Josh Morgan unveiled his own draft budget, as required under his new strong mayor powers, based on proposals organizations submitted for council to consider.

The London Transit Commission has sought an additional $42 million over four years for conventional and specialized service expansion and to hire three staff for a zero-emission bus pilot, $11.25 million to complete bus rapid transit, and $7.4 million to replace the diesel fleet with electric buses.

Morgan's budget includes only $9.7 million for service expansion, just for specialized service, for which London Transit had sought $15.6 million. It also funds rapid transit and staff for the pilot.

That's led LTC to roll out advertisements warning of longer waits, overcrowding and service cuts if it doesn't see more funding.

LISTEN: Say goodbye to better bus service? 

A transit user since 1988, Pam Reed knows London's bus system well — and has first-hand experience when it comes to its limitations.

"There were times where my employer asked me to work 'til 1:30 in the morning," she said, a time well past when most routes finish. "To be an agreeable employee, I would have to say yes, and sleep somewhere for the next five hours until 6:30 in the morning to catch the next bus."

"From that place of work to my home was just under 11 km, so [a taxi] would easily be $20 to $30," out-of-pocket, she said, adding that the last time she had to sleep at work was 2012.

The lack of budgeted service expansion makes no sense given the city's growing population, said Patti Dalton of the London and District Labour Council.