Translink really knows how to screw up
Posted in Politics on May 14th, 2004 by Sacha PeterThe proposed Skytrain connection between Richmond and Vancouver was shot down by Translink on May 7th.
There are two issues of relevance that caused this to be rejected: One is that Coquitlam wants Skytrain first and will not want to see Richmond get it first. Secondly, the unions are applying pressure since Skytrain is automated – there is no need for bus drivers in the event that Skytrain is implemented. The $1.5-$1.7 billion cost is a smokescreen – the airport (YVR), Federal and Provincial governments, and private industry were going to shell out everything except $300M to Translink, which effectively gave Translink four dollars for every one they spent. The Rolls-Royce solution would have worked very well.
Suffice to say, it will be 30 years before the rot and decay in most of the municipal politicans die out and hopefully a new generation of people that are slightly more capable of taking proper risks are put in place. I’m not expecting any form of rapid transit connecting Richmond to Vancouver in my lifetime anymore – there’s just too much bureaucratic garbage in the way. Politicians are too afraid that things will screw up like the fast ferries. Have we gotten so scared that we don’t want to risk any megaprojects because of the potential public backlash? We’ve turned into a serious breed of weaklings.
One of the most disappointing parts of public politics is when you have local politicians that can’t see the big picture do stupid things that are not in the long term interests of the jurisdictions they are managing. Hopefully the provincial government can step in and correct this huge mistake, but I doubt it – it’s very politically risky for them and their seats in Richmond are already secure for next year’s election.
The rejection of the RAV line will probably rank as the most bone-headed political decision of the year in this province.