Dear Editor,

In response to Marc Kitteringham's 'Cars are the main way we move, but should they be?'

Our reply? No, they shouldn't be, for many reasons! 

For all the reasons Marc lists in his Viewpoint.. congestion, costs to run a car, accidents, climate costs and more. We hope Marc will also tackle the discrimination some of us face travelling in and out of the Valley in his next articles. After having my own letter printed in the Record re the challenges for travelling seniors I've been doing more research, talking to friends, writing letters to different levels of government and receiving back the good news and the not so good. 

We didn't realize when we moved here years ago just how lucky we were to have both a train AND the Greyhound bus which came complete with a depot where we could be in out of the rain and we arrived in Victoria in four hours! We've lost it all. Island Link provides a dependable service back and forth to Victoria, is a bit costly and has to be booked by computer 24 hours in advance.

Then I read that BC Transit has now completed the last leg of a run to Victoria, the one from Courtenay to Deep Bay where you transfer to another bus, then transfer again at Nanaimo. But it takes 5 1/2 hours and the bus doesn't have bathroom facilities. If you have even one suitcase this trip would be too challenging, especially for seniors and the disabled. The price is affordable though and it will help to get cars off the road. If those buses were electric it would be even better!

Our present modes of transportation for Valley seniors is just a little too daunting. I've talked to seniors who don't have computers or won't or can't book online for the Island Link! I have friends in Victoria who planned to be here for our big Fair Trade FIESTA Xmas sale this weekend but they called to cancel... some of them couldn't afford the Island Link although it would have been more comfortable for them, and the trip with BC Transit is just too long for them. And personally even though I've often driven to Victoria over the years I no longer want to and I'm not alone.

Then there's the elephant in the room isn't there... our climate crisis, and every bit of carbon we send into our atmosphere is going to come back and hit us with a heavy hammer.  Actually, it already has hasn't it? We desperately need 'good', affordable, clean public transportation!

So Marc, I hope your next articles will bring us some good news.. and especially for the seniors living in the Valley!

Rosemary Baxter,

Courtenay