VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Douglas Street priority bus lanes are supposed to shorten travel times for transit users but sharing the lanes with cyclists may not be the best use of the space, say bus drivers.

The lanes B次元官网网址� on both sides of Douglas Street from Fisgard Street to Tolmie Avenue B次元官网网址� opened Nov. 5 and were designated for tranist buses and cyclists only B次元官网网址� with a promise that cars using the lanes would be ticketed.

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But the union representing BC Transit in Greater Victoria says having the lane designated for buses and cyclists may not be the most efficient use of the lane.

B次元官网网址淭he problem when you add the cyclists in there is the bus is only as fast as the cyclist,B次元官网网址� said Ben Williams, President of Unifor Local 333BC. B次元官网网址淵ou used to have a bike lane beside the right-hand lane [and] thatB次元官网网址檚 not the case anymore B次元官网网址� now the cyclist needs to ride right in front of the busB次元官网网址�B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭he operators are going to slow down and follow at a safe following distance but clearly for some cyclists thatB次元官网网址檚 going to be intimidating B次元官网网址� when you have a 40-foot vehicle behind you,B次元官网网址� he added.

Williams said despite cyclists, the new bus lanes have sped up the time it takes for buses to get in and out of downtown and emphasized that Victoria bus drivers arenB次元官网网址檛 against cyclists in any way. They support any initiative that gets people out of their cars.

B次元官网网址淭he more people we can get out of vehicles will improve the congestion in Greater Victoria,B次元官网网址� Williams said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e definitely open to having discussions with the cycling community, BC Transit, the different municipalities. We would like to see a change to this, to see what we can do to maximize efficiency.B次元官网网址�

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