Metro's transportation committee and the University of Manitoba students' union have agreed to what they term a "compromise change" in a controversial Unibus route through the Fort Rouge area.

The committee agreed Thursday to remove Maplewood Avenue from Casey to Osborne streets from the Unibus route, on the grounds that Maplewood has the poorest pavement of three residential streets now being used.

The change follows complaints from about 50 residents of Maplewood Avenue, Balfour Avenue and Casey Street, who objected to operation of the student-bus service through their districts. Their complaints to Metro Sept. 23 led to a meeting between Metro's transportation committee and the students' union, which charters the buses from Metro.

The residents had urged removal of all three streets from the Unibus route, because they felt the area had adequate Metro bus service, that the Unibus route was depreciating local property values and endangering the safety of children. They also charged few students actually used the Unibus service.

In a report to the committee Thursday, Harry Burns said checks of the Unibus route indicated 182 students used the bus daily to travel to and from the university. He said if the route was moved from Balfour Avenue, Casey Street and Maplewood Avenue, 35 students would have to walk an additional quarter mile to catch the bus.

Students' union representatives Jarvis Kohut and Mike Stringham told the committee moving the route completely from the three streets in question would damage the unibus operation, but removing only Maplewood Avenue would not create any problems.

The students said about 2,000 Unibus tickets had been sold already this year to University of Manitoba students and staff, and that prospects of a sound financial operation of the Unibus service this year appeared good.

The recommendation is expected to go to Metro council next week for approval.