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Trail asking for review of bus stop maintenance in other regional hubs

Martin: “We still don’t understand the rationale ... why a practice ... for the last 20-plus years is being stopped.”
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The City of Trail will be asking the regional district for a review of maintenance practices at regional hubs throughout the West Kootenay.

After a 20-plus year regional agreement was kiboshed, the city will be asking East End Service transit partners for reconsideration.

Trail will also be requesting a thorough review of public transit maintenance practices throughout the Lower Columbia and the regional hubs in Castlegar and Nelson.

Following the January vote to remove $4,000 payable to the City of Trail for bus stop maintenance at the regional downtown stopovers, on Feb. 14 council agreed to have Mayor Mike Martin return to the East End table and ask for clarification as well as a service review of maintenance.

The mayor emphasized that Trail is a regional hub, and the funding is primarily for snow removal at the main Cedar Avenue exchanges.

“Not withstanding the response of the West Kootenay Transit Committee regarding this decision to remove the regional bus stop maintenance,” Martin told the Trail Times. “We still don’t understand the rationale as to why this decision was made and to why a practice that has been in place for the last 20-plus years is being stopped.”

Martin clarified the decision was not made at the West Kootenay Transit Committee level. Rather it was voted on by transit partners in the East End Services, which includes Areas A and B, Rossland, Warfield, Montrose, and Fruitvale.

“So, what we are asking or what we will be asking of our regional district, is for an explanation as to why this funding was removed,” he said. “And we are also asking for a review of the approach to the whole matter of the bus stop maintenance across the entire Lower Columbia region.”

He admits his information is anecdotal at this point, but Martin said there appears to be disparity between the maintenance practices in the Lower Columbia region versus the northern service areas of Castlegar and Nelson.

“That needs to be sorted out and verified to ensure there is equity across the whole transit system. he added.

According to the Jan. 17 East End meeting minutes, “committee members felt that all East End Services stakeholders should be receiving funds for bus stop maintenance.”

That motion was rescinded before the panel agreed to remove the funding for maintenance at the regional stops in downtown Trail.



Sheri Regnier

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