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Rail For the Valley gives Top Honours to Rick Green

Media Release: Rail For the Valley gives Top Honours to Rick Green

Rail For the Valley has singled out Langley Township Mayor Rick Green for Top Honours when it comes to advocating timely, sustainable transportation options. Among South of Fraser politicians his efforts have been outstanding in ensuring that people understand that there are affordable and practical solutions available to our transit problems.

Rail For the Valley founder Dr. John Buker had this to say: “Of all South of Fraser politicians, Rick Green's achievements with respect to Rail for the Valley, and his advocacy of sustainable and timely transportation options, stand out. Mayor Green deserves unique recognition from us, for his work so far.”

Rick Green's three major Rail for the Valley accomplishments during his first term as Mayor of Langley Township:

1) Renewing passenger rights on the Interurban corridor. These rights would have quietly expired 2years ago, giving CP Rail a huge financial windfall, without the public even knowing, had Mayor Green not intervened. If the public had lost these rights, any hope of implementing a future Interurban service at an affordable cost to the taxpayer would have disappeared forever.

2) Creating the South of Fraser Community Rail Task Force. Thanks to this Task Force, communities, educational institutions, and other supportive organizations throughout the Fraser Valley are now actively communicating and working together on the regional rail issue.

3) Consistently advocating for timely and cost effective transportation alternatives to Translink. Not only has Mayor Green been vocal about the possibilities for Light Rail in public, he has shown a willingness to 'stand up and be counted' on this issue, even when encountering strong resistance from Translink and the provincial 'Powers that Be'.

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Chilliwack council candidates views on passenger rail

As most of you are aware, there is only one candidate running for Mayor – our current mayor Sharon Gaetz.

Dick Harrington – "…I am in favour of looking seriously at a "light-rail" transit system between Chilliwack and the greater Vancouver area- perhaps to the Surrey Interurban terminal. There is a committee made up of local politicos from most communities south of the Fraser River. However, it saddens me that the city council of Chilliwack does not have representation on this committee. This is a must. How can you really know what is going on when you don't have representation? It may be true that the cost of repairing and upgrading the old light-rail lines may be prohibitive; but, let's get involved and find out for ourselves."

Mitchell Nosko – "…We will need to come together to create an innovative plan for a transit system that makes sense. In the interim, I think we can take a look at some of the inefficient routes and make changes to reduce costs. I believe there is an immediate requirement for an intra-regional express bus service connecting Chilliwack with Abbotsford and Mission where connections to the West Coast Express can be made. Ultimately, I believe that a rapid rail system should be the long term goal for the Fraser Valley."

Roger Myers – "…Using existing rail lines and utilizing a light rapid transit system on a pre-existing rail line seems to be the way to go. At a time when many highways are being ‘upgraded’ to accommodate traffic estimations for the next 20 years, placing tolls on what was once free passage into Vancouver, the idea becomes more clear. A light rapid transit into Vancouver would make economic sense. Too bad millions of taxpayers dollars have already been spent on Highway ‘improvements’. These monies could have been used to implement the LRT system at the same cost with upgrades to the existing infrastructure. At a time when pollution is at an all time high, and gas prices soaring, the time is now for a system that makes sense and gives us a green alternative to our all ready congested highways."

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All Candidates Meetings happening now – go to one in your community

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Taxpayers entitled to better transit: Light rail advocate – News1130

Taxpayers entitled to better transit: Light rail advocate

Call comes as mayors float idea of two-cent-a-litre gas tax

Renee Bernard Jul 08, 2011 20:34:59 PM

FRASER VALLEY (NEWS1130) – If we pay the taxes, we want the transit. The proposed increase in gas taxes to pay for the Evergreen Line has some saying it's time to get serious about transit to the Fraser Valley.

John Buker speaks for the group Rail for the Valley and predicts people who live south of the Fraser will oppose the tax, unless there are some transit improvements for them.

The organization has been pushing for the use of an already established rail line through to Chilliwack for a light rail system.  Buker says the time is right for their idea.

"You could have a 100-kilometre line for a third of the cost of the Evergreen Line. We're not saying that there shouldn't be an Evergreen Line, but that the taxes residents south of the Fraser are paying need to go to projects south of the Fraser," he argues.

Surrey mayor Dianne Watts has thrown her support behind light rail, saying it's a cheaper option than SkyTrain.

via Taxpayers entitled to better transit: Light rail advocate – News1130.

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Chilliwack passenger rail supporters: Volunteers, donations needed!

Rail For the Valley plans to be a major presence at Chilliwack's Party in the Park this summer, and we need volunteers.

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Translink and the Interurban

As most of you know, the latest transit proposals from Translink have once again neglected the Interurban. Something had to be said.

Here is my Letter to the Editor,  now published in the Surrey Leader and other local papers.

Interurban gets rough ride from TransLink

TransLink’s proposed designs for transit expansion in Surrey are an exercise in behind-the-scenes manipulation.Ten designs are presented, and the public is led to believe that because there are so many options to choose from, TransLink must be listening.

In fact, TransLink has ignored one of the main tenets that experts around the world agree is crucial to building a cost-effective transit network: Utilize existing infrastructure where possible. For Surrey, this means the existing Interurban rail line.

The Interurban line has been the subject of extensive study. Years ago, TransLink itself studied using the corridor for a West Coast Express-style commuter rail system. That study found the corridor to be too narrow and too curvy to be feasible for that type of system. This is not at all surprising, since the Interurban line was originally intended with light rail in mind – the line was designed for small Interurbans, not huge WCE trains.

Since then, the line has been well researched, with numerous studies and technical analyses (viewable at www.railforthevalley.com/studies) all concluding the same thing – that the line has the ability to provide needed light rail for Surrey that is cost-effective and quick to implement.

Not only would Delta and Newton be served by the line, the Interurban would also connect Surrey with Cloverdale, Langley and beyond.

How long must Surrey wait? The Interurban is a valuable piece of the Surrey transit puzzle, but the provincially controlled TransLink continues to turn a blind eye to it, even in the face of expert opinion and the support of Mayor Dianne Watts.

For an organization still struggling to fund the Evergreen Line, now 20 years in the planning, and continuing to beg municipalities for more money, TransLink’s obtuseness on the Interurban is unforgivable.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/opinion/letters/124020899.html

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Election – VOTE VOTE VOTE! – quotes from candidates on RAIL

VOTING TIME! Monday May 2.
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

Of course, there are many factors to consider in deciding how to vote this federal election.

On the issue of Rail for the Valley, the federal government plays a supporting role, with the provincial government providing specific direction. Still, federal politics matter - just ask those who were involved in getting the West Coast Express up and running 20 years ago.

-Your vote matters. Even if you're in a riding where you don't think your vote will make a difference, it makes a difference, because, first of all, you might be wrong. And second of all, when all the votes across the country are all added up, your vote will still be seen as a part of that total, regardless of whether or not your local candidate gets in.

Here are some last quotes to consider when you go to vote tomorrow. Thank you to all candidates who stuck their neck out and actively spoke up on the campaign trail, for passenger rail service for the Fraser Valley.

Some quotes from Candidates (west to east)

"In the current federal general election transportation is the most important local issue for Cloverdale residents. I believe citizens specifically want (they deserve) delivery of an economically feasible public transit alternative to fossil fuel-devouring cars. It's about time we elected a federal MP who advocates for a better transportation option involving a sustainable way to feed into the Lower Mainland transit system. I favour investigating using the old Interurban right-of-way in Cloverdale." -Hardy Staub, Liberal Candidate, Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale

(On Transportation) "I think the best option right now is to look at a light rail system [as proposed by Rail for the Valley] south of the Fraser River, and we hook into it [via the Golden Ears Bridge]. That would be the most immediate, feasible solution at this point." -Peter Tam, Green Party Candidate, Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission

"From a purely economic perspective light rail for the valley on existing right of ways is an excellent deal. I think from a federal perspective investing through a three tiered system of fed, prov, and regional governments with some private partnership would make this the most cost efficient system available to move large amounts of  people within the valley. I believe the intent of this system should not be to create a "commuter" system that would ferry people out to Vancouver but rather a regional network built to service the south fraser valley region. This line would open up development opportunities along the route especially focused around the stations which currently are mostly in areas that have little or relatively older commercial and residential activity. Currently, the development in the South Fraser region, especially in the east is along the Number 1 hwy corridor and is directed to auto- mobile individuals. By having light rail an entire different set of commercial opportunities will appear for a completely different type of entrepreneur. This would be another way to strengthen the economic ties between these communities. The huge financial return on this small investment is too good to ignore any longer and I haven't even begun on the social and ecological benefits of the light rail system. We need this now!" -Daniel Bryce, Green Party Candidate, Abbotsford

"With all the government spending that is wasted, 1 billion dollars would be a fantastic deal, "Rail for the Valley"- Chilliwack to Vancouver. Getting people out of their cars, helping the environment, creating sustainable communities around each stop along the way. Jobs that the Rail for the Valley would create, not only the building of the infrastructure of the line itself but the spin-off it would have in jobs in the future would far exceed any start up costs of this endeavour. If elected in Ottawa, I would make this a priority in getting this important project started. Currently their are 700,000 people living in the Valley on this side of the Port Mann, by 2040 their will be a projected 1.5 million." -David Murray, NDP Candidate, Abbotsford

"I've read the study and I do feel that rail for the valley is viable. Support Rail For The Valley."  -Gwen O'Mahony, NDP, Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon

"If there's one thing I know about Greens, is that we're for public transportation and everybody I know is right behind this. We actually have a plan right now pushing for high-speed public transportation in heavy community corridors like the Fraser Valley so this is one of the areas where we'd like to see high-speed rail, not just for students, but for workers as well. I see workers every single day at work who are driving into Vancouver to work, that's time away from family, that's time away from their kids, that's time sitting in cars eating junky food half the time and wasting gasoline. So, high-speed rail, rail for the valley is definitely something that we're pushing for and definitely supporting the Rail for the Valley organization." -Jamie Hoskins, Green Party, Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon

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Friends of Rail For the Valley – AGM This Tuesday in Chilliwack

For those who are not on our mailing list, you may not have received this notice.

The Friends of Rail For the Valley Society will be holding its Annual General Meeting this Tuesday in Chilliwack.

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Rail group: Provincial report biased – News1130

Rail group: Provincial report biased

Sheila Scott Feb 22, 2011 05:20:09 AM

FRASER VALLEY (NEWS1130) – The group Rail For the Valley says an independent firm has taken a look at a provincially commissioned transit study into light rail released in December, and found the government report was biased.

The study commissioned by the Ministry of Transportation found interurban light rail wasn’t a viable option for the area.

John Vissers with Rail For the Valley says the analysis the group commissioned with British company  Leewood Projects found the government didn’t look at all of the available information. “What they saw was a clear agenda dismissing light rail.”

Quotes from the Leewood analysis:

“The MoTi had formed their conclusion prior to commissioning the report, and the evidence in the report has been selectively incorporated, in order to substantiate the conclusion that they wanted to see.”

“The BC MoTI and TransLink appear to have predefined that Bus Rapid Transit was the only option and the report was to prove that point of view.”

Vissers is hoping Liberal Leadership candidates will take another look at the viability of light rail.

via Rail group: Provincial report biased – News1130.

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