Near London's southern edge, some transit riders choose lengthy walk over lengthy wait

For transit-riding workers near Wellington and Roxburgh roads, the Route 30 bus can be an elusive presence.

Miss it, and you'll spend at least 40 minutes waiting for another, a wait that turns into hours if the one you missed was the last of the morning or early evening.

That means it may be just as attractive to hoof it across the Hwy. 401 overpass to catch a bus at White Oaks Mall, a half hour walk at least.

"It's a barrier, and it's a safety concern, and it makes it harder to attract good employees who need those jobs," said Ward 12 Coun. Elizabeth Peloza, who is calling attention to the issue at Wednesday's London Transit Commission (LTC) meeting.

Commissioners will vote on proposed service plan changes for 2025. In a letter, Peloza urges improved service to the area, saying it would benefit businesses and support London's transportation goals.

It follows concerns raised to Peloza by a manager of the nearby Costco, who told her dozens of staff rely on transit, but those leaving at 8:30 p.m. or 11:30 p.m. wind up having to walk or take a taxi.

"Luckily White Oaks Mall isn't that far, but certainly far enough if their employees, come end of the shift … then need to walk in the dark, perhaps on sidewalks that have not been adequately cleared," she said.

A representative from Costco was not immediately available to comment.

The "30 White Oaks Mall – Cheese Factory Road" route runs weekdays, in one direction, from 6:30 to 11 a.m., 2:30 to 7 p.m. and 10:30 to 11:30 p.m. It's among five industrial routes LTC has whose schedules are based on the hours of nearby shift workers. None run on weekends.

The spotty hours have made it an unreliable option for Mario Busuttil, an employee at Wimpy's Diner, who admitted he's yet to set foot on the 30 bus because it's never there when he needs it. 

Busuttil gets a ride to work, but the end of his shift at 2 p.m. leaves an hour before the 30 stops near the diner. Instead of waiting, he'll pay $20 for a cab, or trek to the mall, weather pending.

"Summertime's not so bad. Wintertime's a little scary when they don't clean stuff up, and then you got the cars," he said. The Wellington 401 interchange is the only one in London with sidewalks. Pedestrians, however, must cross two highway on-ramps getting to the other side.

"If it was up to me, being a grandfather, I wouldn't want to do it. I'd rather jump on the bus," he said. Some co-workers drive and give him a lift, but others walk both ways.

Karoline Feagan, Wimpy's manager, said transit has always been a challenge, including for young staff without cars. (DriveTest is across the street, making it a challenge for would-be drivers, too.)

"We don't have a lot of staff, it's a smaller restaurant … but I see how it's an issue when you have a bigger place like Costco," she said. "A lot of people might not be able to get here when there's a blizzard, or can't afford working minimum wage to take a taxi."

CBC News contacted LTC's chair but did not get a response by publication.

Launched in 1994, the path of Route 30 has not changed in over a decade, though service has expanded. In 2015, it called it quits at 6 p.m.

In June, LTC approved a draft five-year plan for its conventional system that included changes to Route 30. The proposed change would see the route to service only industrial areas south of the 401, with an extended Route 37 covering areas north of the highway.

Transit to industrial areas has been a years-long issue, and one that makes it harder for manufacturers to hire, said Jason Bates, chair of the London Region Manufacturing Council. 

Some may not even consider applicants who rely on transit because, "they know it's going to be a challenge for them to get to work on time," he said.

A consultant's report prepared for LTC said industrial service can be challenging "due to the staggered shift times, low densities, and the car-centric nature of such areas."

"There's certainly going to be an increased need for transit, not just for manufacturing … There's no way it can't increase," Bates said.

"All those people that got to get to work at those facilities, either retail or manufacturing, have an immense lack of public transit options right now."