MTA TO REOPEN THREE OF 13 LINES VALLEY ROUTES NOT AMONG THE REVIVED.

Byline: Lisa Mascaro Staff Writer

The MTA was ordered Monday to reopen three of 13 bus lines it has eliminated in Los Angeles County over the past few years, but none of the revived routes are in the San Fernando Valley.

A court order released Monday says the Metropolitan Transportation Authority must add back some service it reduced or eliminated between 2003 and 2005 as part of its federal consent decree with the Bus Riders Union.

But the order fell short of reviving the 13 bus lines the BRU sought.

``We're disappointed,'' said E. Richard Larson, an attorney for the Bus Riders Union. ``Our complaint was, the cuts did not adequately take into account adverse impacts.''

The MTA had cut three Valley bus routes, including Line 561 on Van Nuys Boulevard to Los Angeles International Airport, which was replaced with Metro Rapid to Westwood. Riders complained the Rapid forces them to transfer in order to continue to LAX.

MTA also cut the Roscoe Boulevard and Sherman Way express buses that took freeways to downtown and Hollywood. Those buses now stop at North Hollywood, where transit users can take the subway over the hill.

Kymberleigh Richards, a member of the MTA's Valley Sector Governance Council, said eliminating the freeway routes resulted in a better service.

``In reality, these services are faster than the old freeway express services they replaced,'' she said.

The court ordered MTA to add back service on Wilshire Boulevard and two other routes.

The ruling was one of the final orders pending before the Special Master overseeing the consent decree, which is set to expire in October. The bus riders group has pledged to seek an extension.

Lisa Mascaro, [phone]

lisa.mascaro(at)dailynews.com