IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 20, 2017 – Surrey, BC
SkyTrain for Surrey is preparing to gather the over 1900 people who have signed the petition in opposition to the Surrey Light Rail Transit Vision. We will rally against the Light Rail Transit vision adoption bylaw when it is taken to Public Hearing at Surrey City Council.
The Light Rail Transit vision that was endorsed today by Surrey City Council will be the most expensive mistake in our region’s history. Not only have total costs to build the LRT risen to $2.6 billion, but there has been little discussion on how the region will fund millions in LRT operating deficits, every single year. The business case analysis for LRT was negative – the LRT alternative actually had no positive cost-benefit within the study period.
Unlike many other Light Rail systems on the continent, Surrey’s proposed system will have no grade-separation and it will run through the middle of dozens of intersections. This street-level LRT will be prone to major delays if trains become blocked. It will also offer no time savings compared to dedicated bus lanes, which are capable of providing the same travel-time benefits and a high capacity that will meet future demand.
The following is a statement by our campaign founding director, Daryl Dela Cruz:
Surrey is not putting transit riders first by supporting a second-rate LRT that will be prone to major problems experienced routinely by many other cities in North America.
One of the big problems with Surrey’s “LRT vision” is that it requires an incredible amount of participation from private developers, none of which is actually guaranteed. If LRT ridership does not meet expectations, Surrey residents could be waiting longer for community benefits to materialize. Meanwhile, the increased congestion throughout the community – especially on 104th Avenue and in Guildford – will have a negative impact on quality of life.
Because it does not offer meaningful travel time savings, LRT will not be a “transformative” project for the City of Surrey, and it is not going to make the community more connected, complete or livable. The outcome that we will see from this project is the damage it will cause to this region’s economy.
Daryl Dela Cruz – Founding Director, SkyTrain for Surrey
A full list of major issues with the Surrey Light Rail Transit Vision can be found on our website at:
skytrainforsurrey.org/issues
SkyTrain for Surrey is a local grassroots organization calling for a SkyTrain and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network instead of the currently-proposed on-street Light Rail system in Surrey. Our campaign has called on decision-makers to build the Langley Extension of the SkyTrain Expo Line, in conjunction with an extension of the 96 B-Line to Coquitlam Centre and White Rock.
Our campaign directors: Daryl Dela Cruz (Surrey, chair), Jacky Au (Surrey), Spencer Whitney (Langley)
For further information
Daryl Dela Cruz, Campaign Chair, Phone: +1 604 329 3529, E-mail: [email protected]