Purcell’s Cove residents fight to prevent reduction of Halifax bus route

The residents who rely on the Purcell’s Cove bus to get to and from their community have been fighting to keep the route alive.

Now, their push to keep the route accessible throughout the week and weekends has taken another hit.

“We’re pretty disappointed that we don’t have this for our kids,” said Sue Molloy, a Purcell’s Cove resident. “We want to encourage independence, we’re very conscious about the environment.

“We don’t want to use more vehicles.”

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For Molloy, encouraging her children to take transit is part of their growth and independence.

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The transit route that runs along Purcell’s Cove Road has changed in recent years.

At one point, it was on the verge of being axed altogether due to data the municipality collects on ridership.

“A few years ago, there was reductions in the late-night service. So, the Route 15 has ended more or less at 8 o’clock at night in recent years and now it will be reduced down to rush-hour only on the new 415,” said Patricia Hughes, the manager of planning and scheduling with Halifax Transit.

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Widespread changes to the Halifax Regional Municipality’s transit network will roll out at the end of November.

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The overhaul comes as part of the Moving Forward, Together Plan. 

The goal of the restructuring is to “improve the overall attractiveness” of the Halifax Transit network, as well as improving transit use for riders so that residents are encouraged to leave their private vehicles at home.

“The real crux of it is, we’re taking all of the existing transit service and redesigning it all to try and be more efficient and try and get routes to more people, more service where it’s needed and improve the transit system,” Hughes said.

5:29 All aboard the Halifax Transit Ferry Service

Route 15 will now become part of a new series of rural bus routes.

“Part of the redesign in the network and trying to make it easier to understand is anything that’s in the 400s is considered a rural route. So, this will be a 415 instead of today’s Route 15,” Hughes said.

READ MORE: Fathers call for baby change tables to be installed in Halifax’s Woodside Ferry Terminal

The new Route 415 will only run during rush-hour times and weekend service will also be cut.

The changes leave some residents feeling like they will be left behind.

“Many of the seniors here rely on the bus for going shopping and going to do other business in town. So, this will really be hard,” said Kwan Wong, another Purcell’s Cove resident.

Wong’s sentiments over ongoing changes to Route 15 are echoed by Molloy.

“I think it’s a critical lifeline to allow independence. For all the demographics, for the kids, for the seniors and then not everybody here has a two-car family, so if your car’s broken down, your only choice is the bus,” she said.