Whyte night buses start in January

A pilot project offering late night bus service along Edmonton's Whyte Avenue will start in January.

The city will operate the service between Whyte Avenue and the Southgate Transit Station to get people home as the bars close early Saturday and Sunday mornings. Buses will run every twelve minutes from 1:30 am to about 3:30 a.m.

David Richardson from the Old Strathcona Business Association is pleased the project is going ahead.

"I think it'll help alleviate security concerns, just moving the mass of people that are coming on to the street at quarter to two to two thirty," he said. "Help getting them off the street is going to be wonderful."

The pilot project was originally supposed to start this month, but was delayed after people who live near the transit centre complained about intoxicated bar patrons disrupting the neighbourhood.

The city held additional consultation and information sessions to help address their concerns. Coun. Don Iveson said there will also be extra security at the Southgate Transit Centre to help set the tone.

"The city, I'm sure, will have very little tolerance for hooliganism and silliness at that transit center," he said.

"I think one of the great things about the delay here is it's going to give us a chance to have an honest conversation with the neighbourhood about how the program's going to be evaluated, how impact on their neighbourhood is going to be measured without the project having already commenced."

The management of Southgate Mall, which sits adjacent to the transit centre, also plans to ramp up security.

"With the shopping centre's proximity being right there, obviously I have security concerns, so we'll put our extra guards on to keep an eye on things and we'll see what happens," said Paul Fairbridge, general manager of Southgate Mall.

The pilot project will run for three months.