Vernon RCMP volunteers will be monitoring the Downtown Transit Exchange on 31st Avenue (30th Street to 31st Street) in order to remind drivers that the transit exchange is closed to regular vehicle traffic.
“The City has received a number of complaints regarding vehicles entering the transit exchange in downtown Vernon,” said Regan Borisenko, Crime Prevention Coordinator. “This is a concern as it affects the safety of the bus passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.”
Volunteers will be doing three 1.5 hour operations per week, observing and recording traffic entering the transit exchange. They will record the vehicle, driver, time and location of the offence and report it to the RCMP, who will send out warning letters. The goal is to prevent a reoccurrence and to educate drivers about the Bus Only transit exchange.
Over the longer term, residents can expect to see RCMP officers ticketing drivers who continue to drive through the transit exchange. A recent assessment indicated that 25 cars travelled through the transit exchange during a one-hour period.
“Pedestrians and bus passengers expect the transit exchange to be free from through traffic,” said Borisenko. “Starting April 1, 2018 the transit service is expanding its hours of service and a new route will be added. This will result in increased activity in the transit exchange and for everyone’s safety drivers need to respect the closure of this road to through traffic.”
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