Tales of Transit studies past – You’d be amazed at the hundreds of politicians manipulated over the last 30 years!

Since SkyTrain was forced onto the region, transit planning has been skewed to fit the expensive proprietary light-metro. Most recently, noted American transit specialist, Gerald Fox, found the business case for the Evergreen SkyTrain LineAi??Ai??had, “several instances where the analysis had made assumptions that were inaccurate, or had been manipulated to make the case for […]

And now, here is the real story ~ Lies, damned lies and statistics!

For a long time now, TransLink’s spin doctors have been crying a woeful story that SkyTrain is “jammed packed” and needs more cars. With ridership numbers increasing at a fantastic rate on the metro, Gordon Campbell’s cronies on theAi??Ai??TransLink Board approved the purchase of more SkyTrain cars. As well, TransLink and ‘Metro’ region are trying […]

Why it is important that SkyTrain not be built on the Evergreen Line

A letter in todays Vancouver Sun ~ SkyTrain extension not an astute investment Vancouver Sun January 8, 2009 The case for SkyTrain’s $1.4-billion Evergreen Line is terribly weak. Despite the hype and hoopla from local politicians, this version of a public-private partnership is more like a Ponzi scheme than an astute investment. David Gillen, director […]

Can TransLink’s business cases be trusted?

Since last spring, the Light Rail Committee has circulated an E-Mail sent by American transit and transportation expert, Gerald Fox to a Victoria transit group that wants to promote LRT and diesel LRT into the Capital Region. Mr. Fox easily shreds TransLink’s business case for the Evergreen Line which shouldAi??Ai??forewarn transit groups in the Fraser […]

What is SkyTrain?

Provincial politicians since 1980 have forced SkyTrain construction on the Expo Line, the Millennium Line, the Evergreen Line, and nowAi??Ai??a billion dollar plus extension in Surrey, yet very few people clearly understand what SkyTrain is,Ai??Ai??or whyAi??Ai??SkyTrain is built. Even fewer know that SkyTrain is a light-metro and able to give a definition of the transit […]

Brian Lewis: Transit boss’s credentials starting to show

Is Translink REALLY going to give honest consideration to light rail on the Interurban route? Brian Lewis seems to think so. He really likes their new CEO Tom Prendergast: Brian Lewis’s Province column yesterday Excerpt: “…after listening to Prendergast yesterday, my gut feeling says: Don’t count this guy out. He’s a consummate transit professional, as […]

LANGLEY COMPLETELY LEFT OUT OF TRANSIT STUDIES (press release)

The following press release was sent out today, in response to the provincial government’s announcement today of transit implementation studies:

Today, the province and Translink announced implementation studies for rapid transit lines to UBC and to Surrey (see link). According to the provincial Transit Plan, the estimated cost of these expansions is $2.8 billion (UBC) and $1.1 billion (Surrey), assuming elevated SkyTrain is chosen. This would work out to $180 million/km for the line in Surrey and more than $200 million/km for the UBC subway line.