Learn the facts behind TransLink’s misrepresentation of our Transit options
Press Release May 26th, 2019
By Rick Green
The latest TransLink Surrey SkyTrain Survey results were released by TransLink yesterday, exposing the organization for what it is very good at: irresponsibility with your tax dollars, conducting one sided Open Houses with only one option, conducting in-house on-line surveys with only one option, and conducting market research with only one option and one question.
Add all of this up, and you get a one sided result. Surprised?
Add to the above the fact that the area being surveyed is starved for Transit options of any kind. In Langley/Surrey you get results that have been deliberately and expensively manufactured by TransLink for your pleasure. Wasting tax dollars is something they do very well.
Real market research seeks out the public’s view on a selection of issues, and provides a variety of options to choose from. Conducting telephone market research and asking the question “would you be in favor of SkyTrain to Langley City down the Fraser Highway?” with no other option or details — What do you think the answer is going to be? As stated above, they are starved for a transit option of any kind.
The Translink survey is Fake Public Engagement, designed with a preset answer, and an insult to the intelligence of the region.
On the telephone market research survey, let’s break down their numbers:
In Surrey: a sample size of 595, a margin of error of +/-4%, 85% support and in numbers 505.
In Langley City: a sample size of 67, a margin of error of +/-12%, 90% support and in numbers 60.
In Township Langley: a sample size of 180, a margin of error of +/-8%, 92% support and in numbers 165.
NOTE: This phone call research again asked one question with only one option and you get 90%-92 %? In a transportation starved community, how did they not get 100%?
On Open House, filled out survey forms?
Translink has been pouring endless amount of your own tax dollars into the following: a website, Digital ads (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Search network, Google Display Network, G mail ads), Surrey Now Leader banner ads, advertorial, Facebook Posts, Langley Advance Times Banner ads, advertorial, Facebook Posts, SMS NextBus alert ads, eNewsletters, Social Media engagement using Facebook and Twitter (Facebook events were created for each open house), direct outreach through corporate, business and community organizations, Mail out postcards to Surrey and Langley businesses and residents, Street teams (staff hours) distributing postcards at transit hubs, Community Events in Surrey, Information Boards at Surrey City Hall, Langley City Hall and the Township of Langley City Hall, and finally, transit ads. Are you surprised at the result?
The level of awareness seems to have been the question of the day!
With all the money poured into a one-sided Public Engagement Campaign, the results are not at all surprising. Throughout the survey they talk about the plan for the South of Fraser — Surrey is NOT the entire South of Fraser region, but one portion of it. Once again, asking residents one question, on one option, in a region starved for any Transit option, does not constitute a survey of any value.
Consider the following:
Doug McCallum got elected with only 13.50% of the eligible voters in Surrey
Doug promised SkyTrain at a cost of $1.65 Billion, when we know the actual cost will be $3 + Billion!
Doug promised a City Police Force at a 10% cost increase– when we know the increase will be substantially greater!
With the Safe Surrey Coalition now disbanded, Doug McCallum is the lone remaining voice, and will cost residents and taxpayers throughout the entire region increased TransLink taxation costs, on top of increased Surrey taxation for increased Policing costs. This financial irresponsibility has got to stop!
Let’s review the Per Capita Costs below on all the transit options presented to-date:
- Original LRT, Guildford, Surrey Center to Newton
11 kms in length 104th Guildford to Surrey Center down King George Blvd to Newton
Pop. 312,340 @ $1.65 Billion = $5,122. Per capita - SkyTrain Surrey Center to Fleetwood
7 kms in length down Fraser Highway to Fleetwood
Pop. 62,735 @ $1.65 Billion = $25,504. per capita - SkyTrain Surrey Center to Langley City
16 kms in length down Fraser Highway (About $800 million thru a Dead Zone, 25% no population)
Pop 157,618 @ $3.2 Billion = $20,302. per capita
A better solution for our region would be the following, but the questions regarding this option were not asked or mentioned, Why?
- Surrey Scott Rd SkyTrain station to Chilliwack
99 kms in length on the Interurban Passenger Rail Corridor
Pop. 852,846 @ $1.250 Billion = $1,465. per capita
The Interurban Hydrail Passenger Rail proposal would serve 1.2 million people on an existing public right-of-way. Why wasn’t this option presented in their survey? The reactivation cost would be pennies on the dollar, and would serve 14 Post Secondary Institutions, 7 First Nations communities, and 16 cities, towns and municipalities, and prevent completely irresponsible and unnecessary clear-cutting of the Green Timbers Urban Forest.
Translink: Stop insulting the intelligence of the Public. Start by conducting a balanced public survey that will actually mean something, seek out new and valuable information, and save all of us billions of dollars while providing far superior service at a fraction of the cost.
The whole charade would be laughable if the implications were not so serious. TransLink continues to squander your tax dollars while the region’s 1.2 million residents are losing out on the FREE use of this existing corridor.
To do better, we need the Province to look at South of Fraser as a whole, and Survey us accordingly.
For more information in South Fraser Community Rail, contact Rick Green at 604 866–5752