In a sign of things to come, city council was deeply divided about requesting financial information on launching a bike-share program in London, Ont. On Tuesday, council directed city staff, “to prepare a budget business case for micro-mobility services, including bike-share services, for inclusion in the 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget process.”
The point was made before the first word was uttered. On Monday, some disabled paratransit riders who wanted to attend a London Transit Commission meeting about improving service were unable to book a ride to get there.
Accessibility advocates achieved a long-sought breakthrough in their fight to fix the London Transit Commission’s ailing paratransit service. A delegation to the Civic Works Committee focused on the challenges faced by Londoners with disabilities who depend on the LTC’s specialized transit service as their main mode of transportation.
Public pressure has delivered another blow to a city policy meant to improve accessibility and pedestrian connections in neighbourhoods that were built without sidewalks. Following extensive public consultation and the development of a Neighbourhood Connectivity Plan for the residential streets of Whitehills in northwest London, Ont., city staff recommend several new sidewalks.
Inflation has driven the cost to build London’s first rapid transit route over budget and threatens to increase the price tag for the two remaining routes.