BY RAFFY BOUDJIKANIAN

raffy.boudjikanian@transcontinental.ca

A mixed bag of reactions greeted the news that the 470 Express bus, which shuttles passengers between the West Island and Cote Vertu metro station, has extended its hours on weekdays from 9 a. m. to 7 p.m.

"It's perfect for me, because I kept missing the last one at 9:16 a.m. all the time anyway," said Marjolaine Caya, who works at the Fairview shopping centre.

"I have two daughters who go to university and they are very happy about this," said Michelle Talissée, a resident of Ile Bizard/Ste. Geneviève. However, she was disappointed that the service stops at seven. "Anyone who has university courses until seven pm or right after has to take two buses to get home, it's really annoying," she said.

She might get her wish soon, as STM planning director François Pépin said the agency may add at least two more departure times for the 470 based on traffic studies of the new schedules.

Another point of contention seems to be that the bus' arrival and departure times at the Fairview shopping centre, which is the West Island's largest bus terminal, do not line up conveniently with those of other buses leaving Fairview.

David Chernofsky, a Dollard des Ormeaux resident, said that he had to wait 15 to 20 minutes on average for the next 208 bus when exiting the 470 at Fairview.

"I think it's great," he said however, about the extended hours in general.

"We didn't really look at coordinating with the other buses at Fairview because the 470 was already coordinated with them when it was originally inaugurated," Pépin said.

Dollard resident Natasha Daniel said it would be convenient to have the 470 run on weekends too, instead of "having to wait half an hour or an hour for a bus."

Normand Parisien, director of transport lobbying group Transport 2000 Quebec, welcomed the increase of the 470 bus in the West Island, stating that its presence is most important during the week for those who need it to get to work.

"Transportation to Montreal from the East and West is where the most improvement is needed," he said.

Pépin said the STM might decide to have the 470 run on weekends as well, again based on traffic studies of the new increased schedule." Results of the studies should be ready in about a month," he said.

The STM has also invited West Island borough and municipality mayors to a meeting on November 15 to consult on further improvements to bus services in the area.

The 470 Express was inaugurated two years ago as a means of high-speed travel between the West Island and the closest nearby metro station during rush hours in the morning and afternoon.