Victoria City Council Backs Light Rail

Unlike Vancouver City Council, Victoria City Council is not afraid to say the word Light Rail. In Europe, modern trams have proven affordable to operate in smaller towns and cities, while at the same time bringing the benefits of modern public transit that has made the mode so successful. A TramTrain service, using the E&N […]

A Tram for All Seasons

Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer Praise for our ice-beating tram staff from the people of Croydon AMID the gridlocked roads, cancelled trains and rerouted buses, there was one form of transport that remained on the right track during last week’s snowfall. Croydon’s trams weathered the conditions to run a near-perfect […]

How would Montreal’s tramways have fared in this week’s snow storm?

How would tramways have fared in this week’s Montreal snowstorm? By Andy Riga Wed, Dec 8 2010 Whenever the topic of returning tramways to Montreal streets comes up, someone mentions our city’s rough winters. The issue came up a couple of weeks ago when IAi??wrote abouta Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal study (PDF here). […]

The Vancouver Sun Again Embarrasses Itself With a Pro SkyTrain – Pro TransLink Editorial!

In one of the most self serving pro-TransLink, pro-SkyTrain editorials yet, the Vancouver Sun printed a "puff' editorial authored by former Premier Mike Harcourt, who championed the Canada Line, and Dale Parker, Chair of TransLink, whose planning bureaucrats still squander millions of dollars on unachievable metro plans. The aim of the editorial, of course is to try to embarrass […]

Has The “War On The Car” Gone To Far?

There is a growing problem concerning public and regional transportation that has become very worrisome and that is the so called "war on the car". This simple phrase has been used with great effect in Toronto, where anti-transit politicians have been elected in the Toronto metro region, whose sole goal is to dismantle Toronto's public transit system. The slogan […]

What Fools We Mortals Be – Toronto’s New mayor, Rob Ford.

American style Tea Party politician andAi??Toronto’s new mayor Rob Ford, is taking the TTC back 50 years or more by forcing the TTC to build new subways, instead of much cheaper light rail. Ford is just mimicking the same bleat that AmericanAi??politicos use, the “war on the car” andAi??has used itAi??with great effectiveness, but what […]

Bus Rapid Transit Vs. Light Rail

Too often theAi??Bus versus Light Rail debate omits to mention the operational costs associated with public transport.Ai?? This is the great weakness of the bus when there are significant numbers of passengers to be carried. Official American cost comparisons show that the cost of carrying a passenger on light rail is approximately 2/3rds that of […]

Brisbane, Australia (BRT) Bus Rapid Transit

If there could be any doubt, of the cost effectiveness and the capability to relieve urban congestion of Bus Rapid Transit [BRT], study the following image of Brisbaneai??i??s system. http://www.translink.com.au/about-translink/what-we-do/infrastructure-projects/busways TransLink in BC are actively promoting BRT as the answer for transit in the Fraser Valley, they & the City mayors & councillors who are […]

The Silence of TransLink Speaks Volumes

Since Rail for the Valley released the RftV/Leewood TramTrain report in September, there has been a silence from TransLink and the government's two favoured media outlets, the Vancouver Sun and CKNW radio on the valley rail project. All the TV stations did reports, as did all the regional (semi)weekly newspapers, which is credit to their profession; but […]

Mayors face tax dilemma

 More thoughts on the TransLink/regional mayors funding debate. What I do not see is any hint of fiscal responsibility from TransLink, just demands for more money with dire threats on what will happen if funding doesn't come through. In South Delta, three bus routes, the C-84, C-89 and the 609, which operate at 60 minute headways or […]