Surrey councillor Mike Bose says it’s time for the city to renew its push for light rail transit (LRT) to better connect neighbourhoods and reduce car dependency.
During the Oct. 20 council meeting, Surrey’s general manager of engineering, Scott Neuman, reported that the city advanced more than $77 million in transportation capital projects over the past year — one of the largest programs in five years. He credited this progress to the city’s focus on road safety and congestion relief but acknowledged that federal and provincial transit funding remains essential to support Surrey’s long-term growth.
Bose said while the SkyTrain extension from Whalley to Langley is a welcome development, it doesn’t solve connectivity gaps within Surrey itself.
“A few more bus routes and loops aren’t enough,” Bose told council. “We’re the largest city in B.C. geographically — we need to start advocating now for Bus Rapid Transit and light rail to connect our communities and unlock Surrey’s economic potential.”
He added that better local transit could help residents rely less on cars and boost sustainable mobility.
Mayor Brenda Locke noted that transit service south of the Fraser River has historically lagged behind Vancouver, where transit ridership exceeds 90 per cent. However, Neuman reported progress:
“A few years ago, only 29 per cent of Surrey residents lived within a 10-minute walk of frequent transit. Now, thanks to city advocacy and TransLink’s response, we’re above 50 per cent.”
Council also endorsed Neuman’s proposed short-term transportation priorities, supported by a one per cent Road and Safety Levy increase each year for the past two years.
Neuman said these investments aim to “alleviate congestion, support city growth, and provide residents with more transportation choices — including better access to public transit.”
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