OnTrax champions separate study

The Langley Advance has picked up on the story that we broke on our blog this Thursday about the Fraser Valley Region District's (FVRD) Transportation Study which will include looking at the interurban corridor through the FVRD. The Ministry of Transportation has also joined the study. We are concerned that this study's terms of reference makes a bus-only transit system the only possible recommendation. We are also concerned that the study may be combined with the Interurban Study that Kevin Falcon personally promised this year.

The provincial Ministry of Transportation has joined the FVRD study, and now there is a perception among some people that this is the Interurban study promised by Falcon, Zaccaria said.

OnTrax is concerned that the provincial government won't go ahead with a light rail study.

"This is our concern: that the Ministry of Transportation will use this and say, 'We have a study,'" said Nathan Pachal, another On Trax member.

The two men say they will try to get assurances from Falcon that the light rail study will go ahead as promised.

Ministry media spokesperson Jeff Knight was not aware of any other study, and said the FVRD study will look at more than just that jurisdiction.

"The transit needs of Langley and Surrey will be part of the study," he said.

We will keep you posted as this story continues to develop. In the meantime, please read this article in the Langley Advance.

Update: The Advance also has a story about Rapid Bus (Bus Rapid Transit) compared to Light Rail which can be viewed on their website.