March 28, 2024

Surrey’s mayor says Translink’s 3 year plan falls short for South of the Fraser

The Mayor of Surrey says Translink’s new three year plan falls short.

 When asked if the transit plan is a disappointment when it comes to infrastructure needs for Surrey, Mayor Dianne Watts said. 

  “Well absolutely, when you look at 70-percent of the future growth of the region is coming South of the Fraser the infrastructure that needs to be in place is significant whether it is maintaining the existing infrastructure, moving forward to move the region forward,and to have additional infrastructure and transportation these are key issues for a livable region.” 

 Watts says Surrey with the second largest border crossing in the country, and the expansion of deltaport, among other things, needs sustainable transit funding. 

 Watts says while Translink threw the city a bone or two “Having the rapid bus service over the Port Mann bridge as well as the B-line from 104th between Newton and Guilford.”

 But there was still more bad news than good “Down the road we still have the King George B-line service down to South Surrey White Rock that has yet to come to fruition. We have been waiting quite some time for that. Again very concerned about the major road network because that is our infrastructure where the funding has been scaled back.”

 Watts was asked about NDP Transportation critic Harry Bains saying Translink is spending money they don’t have by relying on property tax revenue, which isn’t certain.

  “That was a two year limited property tax increase that I think was voted on about a year ago these are the things they can do and there is a number of things they have scaled back on. You know we have a mayors council meeting coming up over the next day or two and so we will be having those discussions at that point.”

CKNW Vancouver News

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