The Litmus Test
Litmus Test: a test in which a single factor (such as an attitude, event, or fact) is decisive.
Premier Horgan’s recent announcement, killing LRT On Vancouver Island all but sentencing the E&N to death, was the NDP’s Litmus test of their commitment on regional transit in the province.
The answer, the NDP has none and do not even want to consider one.
The E&N railway, in the Premier’s back door has demonstrated that the NDP continue not to understand public and regional transit and in fact, reuse to deal with major transit issues.
This is political cowardice in the extreme.
Zwei’s last post has angered many people, especially those who think that by some magic, the NDP will board the regional passenger train, but it is not going to happen.
Under $50 million would see the refurbishment of the tracks from Victoria to Nanaimo and for another $50 million, a demonstration light DMU servcie could be instituted.
$100 million is not chump change,but when the cost of a 5.5 km $3 billion extension the Millennium Line via a subway under Broadway or the over $2.5 billion for a horribly planned Surrey LRT, $100 million seems a bargain investment for regional transit.
As Zwei has said so often, “no transit system is a system unto itself, it is part of the whole“, the Premier’s coarse comments on the E&N reverberate across the Salish Sea to the Fraser Valley and Rail for the Valley’s project, the reenlistment of a Vancouver to Chilliwack passenger service, via light DMU or TramTrain.
The NDP, always decades behind when it comes to transit have demonstrated that have not and will not learn from previous fiascos.
What seems so right to do at a cost that is affordable, is rejected for expensive, FastFerry style transit projects that are built strictly for politcal prestige at best, or criminal money laundering at worst.
The NDP have now failed the Litmus Test on transit.
I sent this email to Claire Travena and all the MLAs South of the Malahat on May 18th.
It was a short sighted decision to delete the rail portion from Victoria’s new bridge. Penny wise, pound foolish.
Upgrading the E & N to provide commuter service South of the Malahat is what is called a ‘No Brainer’. The route of the rail bed is not the best for today’s population distribution, but it is a dedicated right of way that is not being utilized now. A transfer to a bus at the bridge is another disincentive, but I am sure that when it is put into service and kept in service, a clientele will develop.
Dedicated bus lanes on the side of the existing highway will be easy to build, after astronomical amounts of money are spent in expropriating the necessary road right of way and building ‘flyovers’ for the major intersections between city centre and the suburbs it will service.
A total about face on a very worthwhile project is becoming the norm. Blocking paths to prosperity their expertise. Remove this ineffective collation from office now.
The E&N railway was a good train service. It was mostly designed for vistors and locals for occasional travel. VIA rail said they want to resume service after the tracks are upgraded. Either the federal or provicial government should pay. VIA rail could easily share the tracks with a commuter rail in the Victoria area.
Currently the tracks go to Courtenay and Port Alberni. At minimum, it should be restored for passenger and commercial trains. A commuter rail would be great on the line between Victoria and Duncan. The highway between these towns is dangerous and has many accidents.
I was involved with the old Broadway-Lougheed rapid transit project and was totally dismayed like, by McPhailure and the coward Clark with their switcheroo from LRT to SkyTrain. Never voted NDP again.
I was as well and I have been wary of the NDP and their regional transit plans and the NDP never fail but to disappoint.
Good news, Via Rail made an agreement with organization that owns the railway on Vancouver island.
Train service is coming back to Vancouver island soon. This year or next year.
https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=396419
Video published 2 days ago.
Very sadly Garfield’s post contains a video that is several years out of date. The province messed up on this one. No sign of any improvement from the current government, but pressure may work better with the NDP than the Libs, especially since the Greens are ‘on board’ for a revived rail service on V.I.