Why do some governments see Metros as more prestigious than Light Rail?

A pertinent question posed on one of the Light Rail discussion groups, particularly relevant in relation to Skytrain & the City’s of Surrey and Vancouver. A selection of answers: 1) Very simple. Because it is more expensive. There is nothing as prestigious as money. And then there is the tendency of: “The neighbouring community have […]

Light rail that works

CALGARYai??i?? From Saturday’s Globe and Mail by Marcus Gee http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/marcus-gee/light-rail-that-works/article1887237/ Mayor Rob Ford has left no confusion about how he feels about light-rail transit. One of his first acts as mayor was to declare the death of Transit City, a multibillion-dollar plan for a network of above-ground transit lines. Listening to Mr. Ford, you might […]

How to Spot the Transit Denier?

Transit, LRT, Tram & Public Transport deniers come in many forms; from libertarians, petrol heads & asphalt warriors to right wing neocons. ..the Cardinal has compiled a list of thirty eight most commonly used arguments by opponents to at-grade LRT:- Excuses Ignorance Criticism Opposition Hostility 1.    Trams are inflexible. a.    If the road becomes closed, due to an accident or emergency road or utility […]

High density urban living, not neccessary for good public transport

Units not crucial for good public transport, study finds Andrew West, January 5, 2011 RESIDENTS of Australia's outer suburbs do not have to wait for higher housing densities before getting better public transport, according to new research, which could defuse one of urban planning's biggest controversies. In a paper for the journal Australian Planner, Dr […]

Influences on success of light rail – From ‘Future of Urban Transport: Learning from Success and Weakness: Light Rail’

The following is an excerpt from ”Future of Urban Transport: Learning from Success and Weakness: Light Rail” a study by Carmen Hass-Klau & Graham Crampton. Influences on success The available data allowed the effects of eleven different influences to be examined, using correlation and multivariate regression methods: the average light rail speed, population density 300m […]