SURREY mayoral hopeful Doug McCallum and the Safe Surrey Coalition released its five-point Comprehensive Transportation Platform Monday morning after local concern was expressed that a transportation plan needed to consider all residents and their various modes of transportation.

The five outlined priorities represent the only Surrey transportation platform that offers specific proposals encompassing public transit users, drivers and cyclists:

1) Achieve mixed source funding commitments for LRT within 12 months and begin construction within 24 months

2) Introduce more community shuttle buses into Surrey via the Translink Optimization Program

3) Implement measures to ease traffic congestion within the City of Surrey

4) Accelerate the City of Surrey Cycling Plan; increase cycling funding to five per cent of transportation budget

5) Improve shelter, lighting and security measures at major transit hubs and bus stops

This kind of mixed approach is necessary to keep Surrey moving amidst the fastest growth in Metro Vancouver, according to McCallum.

“The Safe Surrey Coalition’s transportation platform offers balance, as we understand that each resident lives with different circumstances that necessitate a range of transportation options,” he said.  “Plans that fail to consider all modes of transportation demonstrate a complete lack of understanding for the various ways that Surrey residents move around our city and region.”

Because municipalities are often financially stretched when it comes to building transportation infrastructure, it is important for plans to offer a variety of proposals, from seeking out funding partnership with seniors levels of government and the private sector to implementing local measures that the City of Surrey can undertake independently.

Plans that focus solely on limited experience in securing funding from other levels of government do so at the peril of Surrey residents looking for tangible improvements, said McCallum.

“As Translink chair, I was able to secure funding for the largest increase to transportation infrastructure in BC history,” he added.  “This is the kind of experience needed at a time where Surrey is being buried by a growing population encountering inadequate transportation options.”

For a more detailed description of the specific proposals, visit http://www.safesurrey.ca/transportationplatform