Council’s bus service overkill

Dear editor: Kelowna city council is trying to push our bus system to the extent that they are always finding ways to remove more and more parking spaces downtown to promote bus usage.

I agree, every city needs a decent bus service and I don’t begrudge tax money to fund it. I do disagree with the way the money is spent delivering it with large almost empty buses driving around.

I don’t see any of the retirement and assisted-living places shuttling their residents around in double-decked or large diesel buses. Why should the city? I spotted a double-decker bus with less than six passengers on it, a big waste of money and a huge environment cost. I see all the new fancy bus stops with so few passengers waiting and all the road upgrades to service the buses … seems like a colossal waste of money.

Many residents stated on a city survey they would seldom — or never ride — a bus. Did council really look at that or was it because it didn’t fit their agenda? Kelowna is not a very large city by population even when including West Kelowna, but the area is spread out and topography makes bike riding difficult, so we must find a solution to deal with the periphery, the suburbs to transport people around. Do we still think bus or bike or auto? I think if the city council wants to promote the bus service and reduce parking stalls, it should remove all city hall parking stalls including reserved stalls in the parkade and insist all city employees, including council members, ride the bus to work and set an example for everyone instead of pointing fingers while driving to work.

This would increase ridership and may make the buses viable. Do not ask citizens to do what you are not willing to do. That’s not leadership. Mike Herlehy West Kelowna