Hamilton transit riders to show support for bus lane at council

Dozens of transit supporters are expected at a Wednesday city council meeting to show their support for Hamilton's downtown transit lane.

About 90 people have signed up so far on Facebook to attend the 5 p.m. meeting. They will wear yellow shirts and carry yellow signs.

"Were going to make our presence felt in a way that transit riders havent been making their presence felt in the last little while," said local lawyer CraigBurley, a bus lane advocate.

The demonstration stemmed from a weekend meeting where about 60 transit users gathered to establish a new group that represents transit users.Burleysays the city has a stated goal to increase transit ridership. "Were only trying to give them what they say they want."

Wednesday will be the group's first major effort. But it will continue beyond the transit lane, he said.

"Im tired at this point of waiting to be engaged," he said. "Its very clear that well never be engaged. The impetus for engagement has to come from us."

Meanwhile,Coun. Lloyd Ferguson haslegal advice that says he is clear toparticipate in a controversial transit lane vote on Wednesday.

The Ancaster councillor, who leases four taxicab licence plates, says he consulted with a municipal affairs lawyerand got a written opinion. That opinion says he doesnt have a conflict of interest in transit matters.

Ferguson plans to vote to get rid of the transit lane.

Im not going to change my mind, he said.

Dan Jelly, a local city hall watcher in favour ofthe transit lane, said on Monday that Ferguson should declare a conflict of interest.

The transit lane was a pilot project intended to run from October 2013 to October 2014, although the Oct. 27 municipal election delayed its scrutiny. It ran along King Street from Mary to Dundurn Streets.

• Ferguson gets legal advice on possible transit lane vote conflict
• Downtowntransitlanelives on for now
• Keep Hamilton's downtown transit lane, city staff say

In a December report, city staff recommended keeping it. The lane, which has cost about $184,000 of a Metrolinx grant so far, carries nearly as many transit passengers as the other lanes do motorists, it says. Three general purpose lanes carried 1,190 vehicles during morning rush hours. By comparison, about 1,104 passengers were in the transit-only lane.

Many businesses are against the lane, which is cited as being a precursor to light rail transit.

Last week, the citys general issues committee had a series of close votes to defer the issue, keep it with modifications regarding signaling and parking, suspend it and get rid of it. All of them failed 8-6 or 8-7.

Coun. Chad Collins plans to introduce a motion Wednesday to get rid of the lane. Ferguson will vote in favour.

The trial period is over," he said."We got the data we need to move forward and lets get back to where we were.

How they're likely to vote

Mayor Fred Eisenberger: Eisenberger is a transit lane fan. Last week, he voted to improve and suspend the lane, and voted against killing it.

Aidan Johnson, Ward 1:Johnson is a transit user and transit lane fan. Last week, he moved a motion to improve it and voted against suspending or getting rid of it.

Jason Farr, Ward 2:Farr is a fan of the lane and wants to see it modified to run smoother. Last week, he moved a motion to defer the issue until Feb. 6, when transit head Dave Dixon will present a larger transit plan.

Matthew Green, Ward 3:Green is a transit lane fan who voted last week to modify the lane.

Sam Merulla, Ward 4:Merulla is a bus lane fan and voted to improve it.

Chad Collins, Ward 5:Collins has twice introduced motions against the lane once in December to stop enforcing it, and last week to kill it. The latter failed 8-6, but he'll try again onWednesday.

Tom Jackson, Ward 6:Jackson voted to get rid of the transit lane.

Scott Duvall, Ward 7:Duvallvoted against discontinuing the transit lane, but voted in favour of suspending it and against modifying it.

Terry Whitehead, Ward 8:Whiteheads stated stance is more nuanced. He introduced a motion last week to suspend the lane to study it more, which was lost 8-6. He voted against killing the lane and also against improving it. Whitehead conducted a poll of his own, which he says found that 40.7 per cent are in favour of keeping it.

Doug Conley, Ward 9:Conley voted to get rid of the transit lane. He also voted to modify it and suspend it. Conley has told CBC Hamilton in interviews that he's not a fan of the lane.

Maria Pearson, Ward 10:A self-professed transit user, Pearson voted in favour of modifying the transit lane last week. She votedagainst killing it.

Brenda Johnson, Ward 11:Johnson says she's still thinking about it, but is leaning toward getting rid of it because it's not long enough.

Lloyd Ferguson, Ward 12:Ferguson voted to get rid of the transit lane.

Arlene VanderBeek, Ward 13:VanderBeek voted to get rid of the transit lane.

Robert Pasuta, Ward 14:Pasuta voted to get rid of the transit lane.

Judi Partridge, Ward 15:Partridge was missing from three of the four votes last week, but was prepared to second a motion to get rid of it. She voted against modifying it.