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Better Surrey Rapid Transit skytrainforsurrey.org
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10th March, 2015
Better Transit and Transportation Coalition Co-Chairs: Peter
Robinson, Gavin McGarrigle, Bahareh Jokar, Iain Black Please
forward to: all BTTC partners Subject: Light Rail promotion
destroying Surrey yes vote
To all coalition supporters, organizers, chairs
The Better Surrey Rapid Transit is proud to support a YES vote
for better transit in Metro Vancouver. We are updating our website
to integrate YES messages and informing our supporters that a YES
vote is the first step to moving a better transit future in
Surrey.
As stakeholders in the transit outcome, we believe it is
imperative that we communicate a major issue with the YES campaign
in Surrey. At the moment, Surrey and the South-of-Fraser should be
on the minds of all YES supporters: it has the lowest and worst YES
support percentage of any area in the region, in a region thats
already seemingly favouring the NO vote altogether.
This should not be taken lightly and there are serious questions
that need to be raised about the YES campaign in the South of
Fraser. I have personally seen the strength of the desire for
transit improvements in the South of Fraser for the past 3 years.
Transit needs became a top, turning-point issue in the last
municipal elections. Surrey is a city where residents have been so
concerned about transit improvements for years upon years. This is
not how it should have turned out.
A recent support stated that one of the top reasons the NO vote
share in Surrey is growing is the odd, ambiguous mention by our
Mayor that the big-ticket Surrey item in the Mayors transit plan -
Light Rail Transit (LRT) - can proceed with or without the
Congestion Improvement tax.
I believe the entire mention and focus on Light Rail altogether
has had major implications on the YES transit vote. I have heard
from several people existing supporters, and even others who havent
heard about the Better Surrey Rapid Transit campaign - who are
declaring theyre voting no, because of the choice for Light
Rail
There have been several letters-to-the-editor from citizens
dissatisfied with Light Rail in local newspapers (at least 6 issues
since 2015 begun) citing major issues left out of the consultation
process by the City, and just about all of them encouraging NO
votes in the plebiscite..
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Better Surrey Rapid Transit skytrainforsurrey.org
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I have even seen this image circulating on Twitter:
While we appreciate that theres an active knowledge on the
serious flaws with on-street Light Rail, our campaign been
operating under the principle that the technology debate should not
be part of the transit funding debate altogether. As of the time
and date I sent this letter, Better Surrey Rapid Transit has not
published any statements regarding the upcoming plebiscite.
The fact is, many Surrey voters arent prepared to permanently
approve a specific technology. They remember that theyve been lied
to by the City of Surrey on LRT and its benefits, as weve been
pointing out on our website and regular news releases for two
years. They realize that the downsides dont beat the positives that
Light Rail will solve some of our problems, but create more new
ones to deal with instead. They realize there could be a better
plan.
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Better Surrey Rapid Transit skytrainforsurrey.org
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Thats probably a part of the reason why the provincial minister,
who is also a supporter of the YES vote, changed Light Rail Transit
in Surrey to Rapid Transit in Surrey on the ballot.
We saw this as good news it means that Surreys funding is not
tied to a Light Rail Project (leaving room for that aforementioned
better plan, posted on our website) and the rapid transit debate is
open as it needs to be. It would avoid the conclusions from
now-skeptical voters that we would be stuck with LRT, and I was
hoping this change would extend to YES campaigners I was wrong.
Light Rail has been a central part of every YES campaign in Surrey
and, as far as Ive been aware, is even on the citys electronic
billboard advertisements encouraging YES votes.
This needs to stop. Now.
The province has taken a lead by removing the lock-in to Light
Rail Transit in Surrey from the referendum ballot; Yes campaign
supporters need to be doing the same. Say rapid transit, not Light
Rail. Surrey residents do realize that rapid transit of any
technology (including enhanced Bus Rapid Transit or BRT) would be a
huge improvement from what we have now.
Well be doing our part, advising those who want to say NO
because of Light Rail that the province has kept the debate on
transit technology separate, and open. I am asking the YES campaign
to do their part. It would be a major disservice to everyone if we
continue to center our promotion on a transit technology not
everyone agrees with, and allow that to destroy the vote.
I hope I have gotten your attention and established a need to
take action.
Sincerely,
Daryl Dela Cruz Campaign Manager Better Surrey Rapid Transit
Campaign website: skytrainforsurrey.org