These changes are coming to West Shore bus routes in January

A BC Transit bus is pictured in Victoria. (CTV News)

Commuters in the Victoria Regional Transit system are going to see changes to bussing routes in the new year, particularly in the growing West Shore.

BC Transit and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission are updating a total of nine routes in that network in response to rapidly changing neighbourhoods, such as Colwood’s Royal Bay.

“There are areas that currently have a very high level of density that don’t have a high level of service to match,” says BC Transit senior planner Levi Megenbir. “In particular we have some improvements along Happy Valley, Latoria and Royal Bay as part of this change. So the new revised route 52 will serve these communities at a higher level of service than they currently receive.”

BC Transit says the restructuring on the West Shore is also designed to make it easier for riders to connect with Route 95 Langford/Downtown RAPIDBUS, which was launched in the spring. ‘Blink’ RAPIDBUS replaced the old number 50, pledging faster and more frequent service.

“Great work by BC Transit. They’re actually responding to our needs out here,” says Colwood mayor Doug Kobayashi. “People are going to take transit if it’s convenient, and convenience is frequency.”

The changes to the Victoria Regional Transit system will take effect Jan. 8.

Due to customer demand and feedback, it’ll also reinstate Route 11’s Tillicum Centre/UVic routing to the way it was before June 2022. Route 95 will also serve the bus stops on Goldstream Avenue at Veterans Memorial Parkway.

You can see a full list of the changes here.