Solution to fixing ongoing system-wide SkyTrain issues is money: BC NDP
Posted June 13, 2015 10:45 am.
Last Updated June 13, 2015 10:47 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Pouring money into SkyTrain and bus service for upgrades will help bring an end to the ongoing issues with TransLink, that’s from the official opposition.
The BC NDP says the money to do that would come from the plebiscite, which the party hopes passes.
Transportation Critic George Heyman says what’s really needed right now is an upgrade in the technology used by the nearly 30-year-old Expo Line, which has suffered a few system-wide shut downs since last summer.
He says TransLink needs to do something as he feels passengers are losing faith.”If this plebiscite goes down, [TransLink] needs to immediately move to Plan B and work with the mayors to invest in this system and to ensure that the people of Metro Vancouver have faith in the TransLink governance and the TransLink executives.”
“Getting in a car is, I think, the worst possible option for people who might otherwise reasonably take transit. Many people live on routes where there is no choice but to take a car and [TransLink] need to know that those who can take transit are taking it so the roads are less congested and they can get from A to B in a reasonable amount of time. The only answer to this is to enhance our transit system to meet the needs of the growing population,” adds Heyman.
An induction motor problem caused the latest breakdown this past week that left people stranded for two and half hours during the afternoon rush-hour.
TransLink told people there would be no refund on fares because the delay was only a couple of hours. Instead, the transit authority is hiring more than 60 people by October to help out at various stations in case there is another breakdown.
Meantime, results from the transportation improvement plebiscite are not expected until the end of this month.
