TransLink proposes new looping Stanley Park Drive bus route | Daily Hive

Map of the new proposed Stanley Park Drive bus route. (TransLink)

If funding becomes available, TransLink aims to launch a new bus route that runs along the entirety of the looping roadway of Stanley Park Drive.

This would drastically improve not only general access to Stanley Park, but also serve the secluded and far-flung areas around the entire perimeter of the 1,000-acre park.

According to the public transit authority’s proposed Burrard Peninsula Area Transport Plan, which will undergo public consultation starting on February 10, 2025, this new Stanley Park bus route would begin at Waterfront Station and travel along a segment of Granville Street to reach West Georgia Street.

This new bus route would then run along the entire 8.5 km, counter-clockwise roadway of Stanley Park Drive, serving the park’s major destinations and points of interest.

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There is no indication yet as to whether this new Stanley Park Drive bus route will be summer seasonal-only, similar to the bus routes that serve Spanish Banks Beach and major park destinations in the Tri-Cities area.

The existing No. 19 Stanley Park/Metrotown bus route would be retained, which is currently the only bus route that enters the park, with its western endpoint being the bus loop near the Vancouver Aquarium. But the No. 19’s route would see some minor changes to connect with Waterfront Station.

Map of existing bus routes that serve Stanley Park. (TransLink)

translink stanley park proposed bus route

Map of the new proposed Stanley Park Drive bus route. (TransLink)

Under this plan, TransLink is also looking to make further improvements to the existing No. 23 Main Street-Science World Station/English Bay to better serve Stanley Park, including extending the western end of the route to reach Second Beach. But over the interim, potentially later in 2025, after some road design changes, the No. 23 will be upgraded from its current use of a low-capacity community shuttle bus to a higher-capacity 40 ft conventional regular bus, which would also be accompanied by some minor route changes.

A public transit authority-operated bus route on Stanley Park Drive previously existed, up until 1998 — known as the No. 52, which ended in 1998 shortly after BC Transit’s Metro Vancouver operations transitioned to TransLink.

Shortly after the discontinuation of the No. 52, the Vancouver Park Board launched a new municipally funded free shuttle bus service along Stanley Park Drive.

translink 19 stanley park bus metrotown bus loop

Stanley Park’s bus loop, served by TransLink’s No. 19 Stanley Park/Metrotown trolley bus. (Google Maps)

Stanley Park Shuttle Bus operated by the Vancouver Trolley Company. (Lissandra Melo
/Shutterstock)

With an annual subsidy of $200,000, the Park Board contracted the Vancouver Trolley Company to operate a hop-on, hop-off type of service using four red vintage-inspired buses, with the service running only over the summer months between 10 am and 6:30 pm daily, stopping at a dozen points of interest.

In 2008, this “Round The Park” free shuttle recorded approximately 140,000 boardings, mostly tourists. It was an effective measure that helped reduce vehicle traffic volumes circling the park during the busy peak season.

But in 2009, the Park Board decided not to renew its contract with the operator due to its budgetary issues at the time. There was an attempt years earlier to charge a nominal fare of $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children to help cover the subsidy, but this resulted in a ridership drop of 60% for the lone year this was tried.

In 2020, the Park Board commissioners requested TransLink to consider launching a new Stanley Park bus route. However, the public transit authority stated at the time that it did not have the financial resources to do so due to the substantial pandemic impacts on its revenues.

If it is launched, TransLink’s new Stanley Park Drive bus route would support the Park Board’s efforts to reduce vehicle traffic within the park. In 2024, the Park Board presented various potential options for reconfiguring Stanley Park Drive’s roadway for different uses, including protected bike lanes and/or bus lanes.

Stanley Park Mobility Study Option C: Stanley Park Drive with dedicated bus lanes. (Vancouver Park Board)

Currently, all proposed changes and additions to the bus route network in the Burrard Peninsula Area Transport Plan are purely conceptual and intended for planning purposes. The second phase of the planning process for the Burrard Peninsula Area Transport Plan is expected to begin public consultation later this winter.

It is crucial to note that these significant bus network improvements rely heavily on addressing TransLink’s impending fiscal challenges starting in 2026. Resolving this fiscal cliff is necessary to maintain current service levels and secure substantial new funding for service expansion. As part of its 10-year plan through 2035, TransLink aims to double bus service levels across the region.

Meanwhile, the transit authority is also seeking public input on its first two proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes: the King George Boulevard BRT and the Langley-Haney Place BRT lines. An online survey for these routes is open until February 9, 2025. The separate public consultation for the Burrard Peninsula Area Transport Plan will begin shortly after, on February 10, 2025.

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