Some Winnipeggers say transit redesign has hindered those with mobility issues

Some Winnipeg residents say they have been let down by the new Winnipeg Transit redesign, as it puts people who have varying mobility and use mobility devices in the city at a serious disadvantage when trying to get around.

“It’s going to cause a lot of problems, it already has,” said Signe Knutson, a Winnipeg transit user.

“My main concern is that this is going to cause a general shutdown for a lot of people in the wintertime. People are going to be sequestered at home.”

In June, Winnipeg Transit underwent a major change to a “spine-and-feeder” system that saw routes and stops change across the city.

For Knutson, who uses a mobility device, the change has created major challenges, adding several blocks to her regular travels due to the reduction in stops. 

The changes have caused her to get a second doctor closer to her home, have made visiting family much more difficult, and have forced her to turn down social events, with her preparing to abandon the service completely due to the increased distance once the snow falls. 

“Winnipeg’s transit system was already not state-of-the-art and now it’s been downgraded. It has become third-rate, maybe fourth-rate,” said Knutson.

She says alongside the problems and difficulties the new system has created for her in terms of getting around, it’s also weighing heavily in all aspects of her life. 

“I have to think twice, three times, as to whether I’m going to attend anything.”

She says for many, these issues are all against the backdrop of a Winnipeg that’s getting colder and more dangerous when it comes to exposure to the winter elements, creating further health issues. 

An interview request was declined, but a City of Winnipeg spokesperson said in a statement it’s still collecting feedback from the public, describing it as “incredibly helpful” stressing it’s being heard, with schedule changes already being made to several routes. 

“As much as possible, as part of the ‘bus stop balancing’ … we have done our best to move stops to locations with controlled, safe, accessible crossings. When there is a trade-off between a shorter walk and a safer crossing, the best choice is almost always the safer crossing,” read the statement from the City.

The City also said it’s set to extend hours of On-Request service and extended hours at night, saying the changes in stop locations were based on safety, as many were located on-street, away from pedestrian corridors. 

However, Knutson says the fact that a city the size of Winnipeg is letting so many people down is unacceptable, pleading for a return to the earlier system, which she says many came to rely on, saying the city is now trying to fix something she feels was poorly designed to start. 

“Stop throwing good money after bad, this redesign of the transit system is a failure,” said Knutson.