Stop Press – SkyTrain Fizzles Again – UPDATED

Once again, SkyTrain breaks down and during rush hour too! This nonsense of having only one metro line to service downtown Vancouver, demonstrates just how bad TransLink’s planning is – one breakdown and the system fizzles. From CKNW Radio News http://www.cknw.com/2013/10/22/skytrain-problem/ Here is TransLinkai??i??s statement: Ai??Due to a problem between Main and Broadway Station on […]

Advice Notes For Promoters Who Are Considering Light Rail

Thanks to David Cockle of Leewood Projects for sending the following ‘guidance notes’ for light rail, ultra light rail and more. UK Tram has produced a general Guidance Note and a series of Advice Notes for promoters who are considering a Light rail, Ultra Light Rail or Personal Rapid Transit Scheme.Ai?? These Notes provide promoters […]

Transit Can Only Improve If TransLink Is Dissolved

The following PostScript to a letter sent by Eric Chris, a professional engineer, is worthy of a post because he addresses the hidden issues of the U-Pass. For those who live outside of TransLink’s realm, the U-Pass is a universal transit pass giving unlimited travel, forcibly sold to over 110,000 post secondary students in Metro […]

TransLink CEO, Ian Jervis Made Over $394,000 Last Year

Not bad for a career bureaucrat who has no background in public transit. Maybe a little thrift in TransLink’s senior bureaucrats stipends, would translate to a little thrift in operations, resulting in realistic planning, financingAi?? and operation. From CKWX News 1130 radio. TransLink CEO making thousands more than counterpartsIan Jarvis makes $100,000 more than head […]

The Real Costs of Subways – Is The Provincial Government Listening?

There is a misconception by Vancouver politicians and engineers; TransLink’s planners and bureaucrats; Ministry of Transportation bureaucrats; and The Minister of Transportation and the Premier, that subways are rather cheap to build. TransLink has fortified this perception by deliberately over-engineering light rail to sell the idea that the cost of at-grade and or on-street light […]

GetOnBoard Want’s Valley Tax Money

The pro transit group GetOnBoard BC (well Rail for the Valley is a pro transit group as well) wants a yes vote in the upcoming TransLink referendum, but they seem to be a little naive about public transit in general and firmly believe that the more money you throw at TransLink, the better it will […]

Fraser Bridge Chaos?

Exactly what Zwei has predicted! The BC Liberal Fraser River crossing spells the death knell of the BC Agricultural land Reserve, regional transit planning, and metro transportation planning. This bridge is all about satisfying McQuarrie, SNC Lavalin, Enbridge, land speculators, and motorists. LA North is not just coming, it is here. Planners see problems with […]

The Current Vacuum In Regional Transit Planning

Where’s the transit? This question is being asked more and more and despite the hype an hoopla from Translink in their quest for more money, there is absolutely no concept of a regional transit strategy. Oh yes, we have SkyTrain for Vancouver; light rail for Surrey; and express buses (BRT is somewhat a fraudulent term) […]

Zwei Reflects And Makes A Prediction

The Rail for the Valley Blog was started on December 8, 2008, to bolster awareness of the then newly formed Rail for the Valley group and the need for an affordable rail service from Vancouver to Chilliwack. One can only write so much about the Rail for the Valley project and the blog branched out […]

Letters

Transit and transportation are on the minds of local residents, which is a good thing because the more people who want real change for transit will demand it of their politicos. Nothing wrong with Massey Tunnel Published: September 30, 2013 Re: Massey Tunnel replacement. At first glance, the premierai??i??s announcement for a new bridge sounds […]