SkyTrain to Langley and UBC rapid transit are priorities, Gordon Campbell tells municipal leaders

Premier Gordon Campbell says progress will be made on projects to expand transportation service in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

The projects include extending the SkyTrain from Surrey to Langley, creating a rapid transit link to the University of B.C., and providing rapid bus service to Chilliwack.

Campbell announced the plans to push ahead today (October 1) during an address to local government leaders at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Whistler.

“It's time to get started doing the SkyTrain to Langley City which has planned itself to actually provide the opportunities for the future that are required to make sure that transit works,” Campbell said, according to a transcript of the lengthy speech, which also covered topics including the Olympic legacy, the HST, and the economy.

“It's time to get ready to build a rapid bus from Langley to Chilliwack,” he said. “It's time to build rapid transit to UBC.”

“It's time we got started. We decided finally on the technology. We made the decisions within the next year so we can get on with building the kind of communities and cities that we need that will serve the needs of our citizens.”

Campbell also provided assurance construction will start in spring 2011 on the planned Evergreen Line SkyTrain link to the Tri-Cities, and that the line will open by 2014.

Comments

13 Comments

Camero409

Oct 1, 2010 at 10:36pm

Blow some more money Gordo. Who's going to pay for it? What's wrong with grade level transportation? Does it make too much sense, or is it too cheap to build? I know, you just want a monument to your foolishness don't you.

bland

Oct 2, 2010 at 6:20am

Recal in the fall!

How about make listening to the people a priority? KILL THE HST.

Just Wondering

Oct 2, 2010 at 7:41am

I’m not sure yet but I just might have the material for the last six chapters of the book I’m planning to write, “The Lies They Told Me”.

Odd

Oct 2, 2010 at 8:47am

The BC Liberals lied about the HST and cannot be trusted. Personally, I wouldn't buy a used car from those guys. Gordon Campbell is just another condo salesman and everything he and his government does is tweaked for real estate and road construction, they have nothing to do with good government.

Just Wondering

Oct 2, 2010 at 11:14am

And just where do you suppose he will get the money? I guess our taxes aren't as high as they are in other provinces. On the other hand we could close a few more hospital beds as the lineups are so long now who will notice. Oh wait a minute, what about some more schools, their's an idea. Well, if that doesn't work we can get it from the feds and they can jack up the HST and take the heat. The money is unlimited when you think about it and we could even get another raise for our MLAs. Hmmmmm, I would like to think I'm just joking but I have know idea where they will get the money. Can someone help us figure this out? If there is money out there where did it come from?

A light railing

Oct 2, 2010 at 11:40am

I'd be a lot more impressed if Campbell offered any ideas how to pay for these things.

Gordon listen up

Oct 2, 2010 at 10:45pm

Gordon, you grew up in Point Grey near W10th Avenue and your father was a well respected doctor. You've had a fantastic career so we'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

I live near the house where you grew-up and know the area well. Some sort of efficient transit to UBC is surely needed. The howling, screeching, cancer and asthma causing 99 B-Lines are an abomination. I and hundreds of others who have sent in petitions asking for their removal truly wish that you ended the 99 B-Lines tomorrow.

However, many don’t want SkyTrains to replace the B-Lines because they go against our principle of sustainability in Vancouver. SkyTrains are creating another sprawling Toronto. We want local trolley buses to serve local communities with people living and working near their homes in Richmond, Surrey, Burnaby ”¦ Vancouver. We do not want people commuting into Vancouver for the Skytrains to be taken over by creepy crawlies after about ~8 pm.

Most decent people don't dare use SkyTrains late at night and SkyTrains are not welcome in Point Grey. They are expensive to build, maintain and police. They are stupid and are leading us to an unsustainable Lower Mainland. The only ones wanting them are developers who will gain from building condos along the SkyTrain routes and the ones whose jobs depend on more regional transit at TransLink.

Expand out trolley bus routes, remove the B-Lines and run a SeaBus service from downtown Vancouver to UBC. Hopefully you read this and do the right thing or the next NDP leader which is going to replace you will.

sue

Oct 4, 2010 at 1:40am

We don't need Skytrain in Langley; bus service would be a start.

rc

Oct 4, 2010 at 3:07pm

RE: Sue: the 502? the 501? the 320? Those buses run every 15 mins from Langley Centre to Surrey Central. The benefit of skytrains/ above ground/below ground trains is obvious especially if you look at Langley, a train of any kind on grade level simple adds to the problem of congestion, and takes up ground space. I have taken transit out of Langley to Vancouver almost every day for the past few years, and more buses isn't going to cut down the travel time or ease traffic, a separate, faster transportation entity, ie a skytrain, is needed.
Transit within Langley however, is in dire need of improvement.

And "Gordon Listen up" your quote "most decent people don't dare use transit after night" and how they aren't welcome is awesome! I'm really glad that you'd rather not have skytrains or 99 b-lines so your pretty little point grey property isn't spoiled by the scary, shadowy masses of lower class degenerates like myself and other students.
Its great that people who don't use transit prevent it from expanding and helping thousands who rely on it.

@rc

Oct 4, 2010 at 6:10pm

Perhaps, you misunderstood; I said that we would like to see trolley buses replace the 99 B-Lines running underneath the trolley bus lines all the way to UBC. Skytrain transit is essentially heavy rail transit as opposed to light rail transit. Light rail transit is used throughout virtually the rest of the world because it can move the same number of people as Skytrain transit but costs much less and uses less energy.

Unless there is a very good reason to go with SkyTrain transit (Expo 86 wow effect) there is absolutely no reason to use SkyTrain transit in Langley. In fact, Langley would do just fine with the 99 B-Lines which are suited for open space in Langley, so that we could replace them with articulated trolley buses in Point Grey. Check out the Swiss bank accounts of our politicians pushing the SkyTrain transit if you are wondering what the motivation is for the Skytrain transit. It is political and surely is not economic.