June 30, 2006

New Barrie bus terminal, parking lot proposed for commuters

TORONTO

The City of Barrie is considering a proposal to build a bus terminal on the south side of town, with a lot large enough to provide free parking for 1,000 cars.

The service would have easy access to Highway 400 and wouldn’t require annual government subsidies.

Greyhound Canada formally made the proposal to Barrie’s city council, and a report is expected in August.

The plan estimates Greyhound’s Barrie to Toronto business would expand to 1,000 customers a day, up from about 380 daily.

Dave Leach, senior vice-president of Greyhound Canada, said Greyhound is asking the federal government to buy the land and construct the terminal, which would be owned by the City of Barrie. Greyhound would lease the land and operate the facility.

Any bus operator, including GO Transit, could offer services from the facility.

Leach doesn’t view publicly-funded GO Transit as a competitor but as a “complementary” commuter service.

GO Transit plans to resurrect train service to Barrie, perhaps as early as next spring, but the Greyhound proposal comes at a time of intense negotiations between the province and the city.

CANADIAN PRESS

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