BC Ferries has started its long-awaited consultation on schedule changes for the Langdale-Horseshoe Bay route.
BC Ferries says the goal is to create a schedule that improves on-time performance, but the company has already ruled out going with the hourly sailings and smaller loads that were so popular during the Berth 1 construction project at Langdale earlier this year.
In a release announcing the start of the consultations, Mark Collins, BC Ferries’ president and CEO, said, “We know the Horseshoe Bay-Langdale and Horseshoe Bay-Snug Cove routes have been particularly challenged by sailing delays and these delays are having an impact on the quality of life and business for Sunshine Coast and Bowen Island residents. These impacts are driving the need to make changes to ensure people can count on the sailing times as published on their schedules.
“Although it seems like schedule changes should be easy, they’re actually quite challenging. There are a variety of factors that we need to consider including our current space and logistical constraints. We also need to take into account the fact the Horseshoe Bay-Langdale, Horseshoe Bay-Snug Cove and Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay routes all share the Horseshoe Bay terminal. Trade-offs are a reality of the changes we need to make. We want the community’s help in deciding which trade-offs we should say yes to.”
The firm Context Research has already held a pair of focus group sessions in Gibsons and is registering people for two more sessions in June in Sechelt. There’s also one planned for Powell River.
As well as heading out to the terminals starting June 8, BC Ferries representatives are planning to hold “pop-up” consultation events at the Gibsons Public Market on June 3 and 16, the Sechelt Farmers Market on June 10, and the Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival on June 17.
There’s an online survey and more information about the schedule change project at bcferries.com/about/ontime-sc.
