Skip to content

Letter: Plenty of positives associated with light rail

Editor: RE: Light rail is the worst decision Surrey can make (langleytimes.com Oct. 28)
9387239_web1_Letters-640X387

Editor: RE: Light rail is the worst decision Surrey can make (langleytimes.com Oct. 28)

I am writing today in reply to a letter from a Mr. Rob Oliver in Surrey.

Mr. Oliver has concerns about the proposal to build a light rail system in Surrey and how it will negatively impact the city.

Mr. Oliver is staunchly against a light rail system, pointing out issues such as safety of citizens, cost and increased traffic congestion.

However, studies and statistics show that a light rail system is a viable option to deal with both traffic congestion and promote better safety for citizens.

Studies completed by both the University of Utah and the International Association of Public Transport show that light rail systems are not only much safer than cars, but actually encourage people to utilize the convenient mode of transport as opposed to a personal vehicle.

The study done at the University of Utah showed that traffic fell 21 per cent on one of Salt Lake City’s busiest thoroughfares.

This study provides evidence to suggest that a light rail system may actually help to reduce traffic congestion because it offers a convenient alternative to driving.

Mr. Oliver also mentions the safety concerns, that fencing the entire track will not stop people from being hit. Although accidents cannot ever be 100 per cent erased from our reality, light rail systems offer a much safer alternative as opposed to the personal vehicle.

The study completed by the International Association of Public Transit found that light transit rail is six times safer than car travel.

Of the cities studied, the stats shows that the accident rate for LRT amounted to 0.47 per million persons-km compared to 2.86 for cars. This is an immense positive with light rail that cannot go ignored. Light rail is proven to have a much lower accident rate than personal vehicles.

To conclude, Mr. Oliver’s concerns are important things to be worried, about but upon a look at the stats they do not hold a lot of merit.

A light rail system in Surrey would help reduce traffic and provide people who may not be able to drive another way of easy transportation.

Surrey would only benefit from a light rail system and I am encouraged to hopefully see more being built in more Vancouver area cities.

Cole Scott,

Maple Ridge