Ogden Point transportation solutions

By Gordon Tweddell

For several years community attention has focussed on the issue of Ogden Point-based highway tour buses that are constantly circling the neighbourhood. 

While bus technology changes may eventually lead to quiet and non-polluting transit, it is perhaps unreasonable to expect the local industry to voluntarily improve. Old, noisy, cheap buses are profitable; especially when the operators can rely on thousands of new customers arriving at their doorsteps during cruise season. Such a strategy however does not contribute to an improved community, a high quality "Victoria" tourism brand or encourage repeat visits.

What are the options if existing bus operators cannot, or will not offer new community and cruise tourist-friendly transportation solutions?

The answer is probably a number of related and carefully scheduled actions including:

Reduce the overall demand for large buses by encouraging pedestrian improvements along the short distance to and from Ogden Point and the Inner Harbour. The City of Victoria and the Government of Canada can assist by accelerating the upgrading of the Harbour Pathway system between Ogden Point and Fisherman's Wharf -- especially the portion adjacent to the Coast Guard facilities. 

Continue to support pedi-cabs, horse-drawn carriages, bicycle rentals, and similar low community impact forms of transportation.  Such methods do not convey huge numbers of passengers but they do provide a high quality experience, variety, and choice.

Support taxi service at Ogden Point provided the operators meet community standards - especially with respect to speeding and other traffic violations. The hundreds of taxis in Victoria are capable of transporting thousands of cruise ship passengers in a high quality and very flexible manner. In that regard, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) might offer preferential licensing conditions and rates at Ogden Point in exchange for access to taxi company GPS-enabled tracking systems. Access to those systems would permit automated notification of speeding and other traffic violations. Taxi operators could avoid the continued wrath of neighbourhood residents by allowing measurable, voluntary compliance to traffic laws.

Avoid extended contracts with tour bus companies that do not utilize community-friendly vehicles. Long-term contracts only serve to ensure continued community annoyance by further delaying needed vehicle technology upgrades.

Rapidly eliminate all non-cruise ship related buses from Ogden Point. Parking of buses increases bus traffic through James Bay and is a low value use of deep water port real-estate. A deadline by which only community friendly buses will be allowed to access Ogden Point would provide the community with needed assurance that needed change will occur.   

Institute vehicular access control at Ogden Point. Unrestricted vehicle access enables unauthorized and unnecessary vehicles to access the site and increases the security and liability risks to the GVHA. Access control would enable the GVHA to accurately measure vehicle movements, effectively charge for use of their property, and set realistic and measureable objectives with respect to traffic impacts on the community.

Engage in a strategic transportation supply relationship with the Victoria Regional Transit Authority. The Transit Authority has the legislated authority to provide service, a diverse and evolving fleet of transit vehicles, the ability to scale service to meet demand, and a professional group of drivers and managers. Moreover, a strategic relationship would encourage the integration of an Ogden Point service into overall community and regional transit needs.

Promote new community-friendly forms of transportation including a ferry service from Ogden Point to the Inner Harbour and a docking facility for whale-watching vessels. Such services and facilities would be a high-quality addition to the Ogden Point terminal and a potential saving to whale watching tour operators.

Establish a "GVHA Community Sustainability Fund" to make needed capital improvements and to support the early operational costs of new community-friendly transportation options. Investment in an improved tourism experience that also reduces the negative impacts on the community ultimately benefits cruise ship operators. Cruise ship operators could support the fund by reconsidering their share of shore excursion revenues - but only for those operators that utilize community friendly transportation methods. This would provide the GVHA with the fiscal capacity to institute the Fund while not negatively impacting desirable shore excursion operators. 

Advocate for the actions needed for systematic and continual improvement by local and senior governments including changes to the Motor Vehicles Act, the Vehicles for Hire Bylaw, and enforcement of traffic laws. The GVHA, like any other corporate organization, operates in an environment created by governments and occasionally needs governments to take supportive legislative and regulatory action.

The JBNA, the GVHA, and various agencies all acknowledge the community impacts of Ogden Point activities. It is now time to move to shared solutions before the next cruise tourism season.