A Red Deer woman who depends on Red Deer Transit to get around is not giving up her fight for restored bus service.
Last summer, Cherise Piercy gathered 471 signatures on a petition calling on Red Deer city council to reverse the decision to reduce late-night transit service from every 30 minutes to every 60 minutes after 10:45 p.m.
The service was chopped last April as part of cost savings in the 2012 operating budget. The service reduction saved the city an estimated $160,000.
“It doesn’t make any sense for them to take it away in the first place,” said Piercy. “Red Deer Transit needs to get better, not worse.”
Piercy’s initial petition got the council’s attention but it ultimately reaffirmed its position. Council agreed to review the issue again in the 2013 budget talks in January.
Piercy hopes a second petition will do the trick. She has started a new petition calling for restored late-night service and another for extended hours on Sunday.
Piercy said the bus-riding community needs full service, seven days a week. She said there are residents who simply cannot afford to take taxis and others who are worried about safety when waiting longer for the bus.
“Red Deer is making decisions that make it harder for people to travel and afford public transportation,” said Piercy.
Coun. Paul Harris unsuccessfully pushed to restore the service. Harris said the savings was essentially given to the whole community on the backs of people who need to the service to get home and work in low-paying jobs.
The city is expected to lay the ground work for a major transit review this year.
Contact Piercy at 403-307-2940 for information on the petition.
crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com