TransLink staff have called Vancouver director Peter Ladner's proposal to extend transfer times by 30 minutes a "costly endeavour" in the range of $500,000.

In an e-mail to Ladner obtained by the Straight , TransLink revenue-operations manager Kelly Lownsbrough said staff are working on the issue for the October board meeting, adding, "This will require significant changes to the farebox system–technical changes to each farebox as well as modifications to the central server."

At the June 27 TransLink board meeting at UBC Robson Square, Ladner and fellow directors Mayor Sam Sullivan and NPA councillor Suzanne Anton voted in favour of fare increases that will take effect January 1, 2008. The result will be a one-zone cash fare costing $2.50 (up from $2.25), two zones at $3.75 (up from $3.25), and a three-zone fare at $5 (up from $4.50).

After TransLink board chair Malcolm Brodie adjourned the fractious meeting and went to a "private session" following protests led by the Bus Riders Union, Ladner moved an amendment to ask staff to look into extending transfer times to 120 minutes from 90 minutes. The amendment passed unanimously.

"Obviously, it's just a preliminary response," Ladner told the Straight of TransLink's e-mail. "I'd like to see the full picture.”¦They have some sort of stamp they put on to all those machines saying this ticket is good until whenever, and they have to reprint all their tickets [to accommodate a change in times]. I guess that's why you ask people to look into it before you jump into it."

Ken Hardie, TransLink spokesperson, told the Straight there are several issues regarding Ladner's proposal, including the $500,000 cost estimate.

"The other aspect of this is that we would rather be going forward with a 'Smart Card' system that would provide much more flexibility," Hardie said by phone. "We could easily see, for instance, doing away totally with transfer times or with the fare zones and simply charge according to the distance of your trip."

Bus Riders Union organizer Zailda Chan told the Straight that Ladner's idea was a "step in the right direction".

"But if the intention is to soften the blow of the fare increases, it is not effective," Chan added. "It does not address the economic barrier."