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? 

London Morning7:23Say goodbye to better bus service?

The London Transit Commission wants to make improvements to service and routes but it won't get enough money in the city budget to do so. London Transit board chair Stephanie Marentette told London Morning why the LTC needs more funds to improve the 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.

'Acute affordability crisis' 

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.

"In some cases, people are not even applying for certain jobs," she said.

"This is definitely an accessibility issue, a labour issue, and also it's an equity issue, because we have so many people… who are in this acute affordability crisis."

London Transit said its $42 million budget ask would add 25,000 service hours every year, something it stresses is badly needed, with 92 per cent of routes reporting passenger loads exceeding seat capacity.

Demand is also rising in Lambeth, Riverbend, Summerside and other underserved areas, and the commission said it faces inflationary pressures, driven largely by bus maintenance and insurance, which it has previously offset with reserve funds.

Morgan's budget prioritizes policing, and supports a $672 million four-year budget increase for London police, which makes up 5 per cent of a projected 8.8 per cent tax increase for 2024.

Last week, Morgan hit back at London Transit's criticisms, telling CBC News its base budget will rise from $45.8 million in 2023 to $64.5 million in 2027. "And that's just their base budget," he said.

"Over the course of this budget, they will have an additional $67.4 million to work with, more than they had before. I am at a loss when I hear that they can't improve service with that amount of investment."