A1

By SHAWN BERRY
berry.shawn@dailygleaner.com

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Acadian Coach Lines plans to pull out of its downtown location for the last time next week.

The move, which has been anticipated for months, was announced Wednesday, leaving a number of riders disappointed by the decision and dismayed with the location of the bus line's temporary digs.

The company said that until it determines the station's final location, it's moving to interim quarters on Hubbard Road, off the Wilsey Road in the Vanier Industrial Park.

The move is effective Oct. 1. The bus company plans to offer a shuttle service from the Regent Street station to the Hubbard Road location for the first two weeks.

Fredericton resident Esther MacKay was seeing off her sister at the downtown bus terminal around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday when she learned the news.

"No, you can't move the bus station," the 81-year-old said as her sister Glenna Gillis, who had been visiting from Napan, prepared to board the bus to Miramichi.

"It has been an easy way to travel with it downtown," MacKay said. She thinks it ought to stay in the city centre.

"It will cost a fortune to get to the new station and back," she said.

As she prepared to board her bus back to Miramichi, Gillis said she was confounded by the decision.

"I love it. I use it all the time. They moved the bus stop in Miramichi, too, and it hasn't been the same since," she said.

And there's no word yet on where Fredericton's station will eventually end up.

Orleans Express' lease at Regent Street station runs out Oct. 15. The bus company has been unable to reach a new lease with the owners.

The sudden news drew the ire of Melynda Jarratt, a downtown businesswoman who doesn't own a car and uses the bus for travel and to ship parcels.

"It's rather insulting. I'm very angry as someone who uses the bus a lot," Jarratt said.

The temporary location, she said, "is way out in the boonies."

"I called Fredericton Transit to find out if they have a bus running there and they don't even know where it is."

Ultimately, she said, downtown businesses will feel the effect.

She said number of riders who get off and visit local restaurants or spend two- or three-hour layovers visiting the downtown will drop.

Jarratt said the blame is evenly spread between the bus company and the city.

"Acadian has shown no imagination or concern for their clients," she said.

"I don't understand why the city hasn't gotten more involved.

"They can do all kinds of things when they want to.

"Look at York House," she said, referring to a deal that saw the city acquire the historic downtown building in a deal that Fredericton buy several residential properties and acquire a Knights of Columbus hall for a land swap to save the historic York House.

The city has said it has worked with Acadian to find a new location.

Ryan Brideau, vice-president external of the University of New Brunswick Student Union, said he doesn't see how the move will benefit the company in the long run with its customers.

There will definitely be resistance to taking the bus now, he said.

"It's that much more of an incentive to look for alternative methods," he said, noting students might be more interested in carpooling now.

Given that the company's move is so far a temporary one, Brideau hopes something might happen to help them find a better location - one closer to the downtown.

"Hopefully this buys them more time," he said.

And before a new location is chosen, he hopes students are consulted.

"I think it's important, given that students are major stakeholders in this, that they will be consulted.

"If we can help any way we're more than happy to."

Orleans Express, which owns Acadian Coach Lines, received zoning approval to move to Woodside Lane, off Hanwell Road near Bishop Drive, earlier this summer.

But Orleans spokeswoman Manon Piche said a deal for that property isn't set in stone.

"It needs to be renovated; we're still evaluating costs. We haven't finalized any deal with them," she said Wednesday from Montreal.

It seems unlikely the company will find a new home downtown.

"It's not that there hasn't been any awareness level. If there were (property owners) interested in having us downtown, they would have called.

"People all want the station downtown, but there is no option," she said.

Piche said the company tried to negotiate a short-term extension at the Regent Street location, but the property owner remained firm in seeking a long-term deal.

She said the company was looking for the building to be upgraded and wanted to pay less rent at the site.

"At the end of the day, it was too costly," she said.