Metro Vancouver Mayors Discuss Public Transportation the Mayors Council on Regional Transportation (MCRT) releases a statement on September 19th calling on the federal and provincial governments to move forward with their $21 billion transportation expansion plan, “ Access for Everyone.”
The plan includes doubling the number of bus services, creating nine new Rapid Bus routes, and extending the SkyTrain.
The background to this is the reality that in some regions, the usage rate of public transportation has exceeded the level before the spread of the new coronavirus infection.
Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West, who chairs the MCRT, said, “With record population growth and a worsening housing crisis, delays in expanding public transportation will make it difficult for the city council to build urgently needed housing in our community.” It will also be difficult for construction companies.”
According to TransLink, congestion on public transport in the region is rapidly worsening. In the cities of Surrey and Langley, ridership is 120% of pre-coronavirus levels, and on some lines, ridership has more than doubled in four years.
TransLink predicts that by 2025, four out of 10 buses will be “significantly overcrowded” during rush hour and is seeking government aid.