While they still donB次元官网网址檛 have a set timeline, the Capital Regional District plans to revisit creating a Regional Transportation Service thanks to a motion from director David Screech, mayor of View Royal, during the Sept. 13 CRD board meeting.
His motion: That staff take the necessary measures to establish a regional transportation service within the next six months, including a counter petition process if necessary. The counter petition process portion of the wording caused discomfort in the conversation, but eventually the board reached a form of consensus, said board chair Barb Desjardins, mayor of Esquimalt.
B次元官网网址淚 think there was considerable angst about putting the stick out in front of the mouse,B次元官网网址� she said, referencing the counter petition option. B次元官网网址淎s a mayor of a community that has experienced the heavy handed approach, I canB次元官网网址檛 support that. Collaboration has to occur, and itB次元官网网址檚 not just one community, everybody would be forcing toward this process.B次元官网网址�
Director Nils Jensen, mayor of Oak Bay strongly supports development of a regional transportation service saying it impacts three forms of health B次元官网网址� financial/economic, physical and social.
B次元官网网址淔or those reasons I was very pleased with the motion that was eventually passed,B次元官网网址� Jensen said. B次元官网网址淲e will move ahead with a transportation authority, what hasnB次元官网网址檛 been decided is the mechanism to do that.B次元官网网址�
However, some are still not convinced this is a move in the right direction. Langford Mayor Stew Young and Colwood Mayor Carol Hamilton have expressed their opposition to this service in the past.
B次元官网网址淵ou have to understand in the world of the CRD, services are things tax payers pay for,B次元官网网址� Hamilton said Thursday, adding B次元官网网址渨hen youB次元官网网址檙e in a service you canB次元官网网址檛 get out [easily].B次元官网网址�
Her concern is that the lack of definition around this service will mean Colwood and other municipalities will be stuck paying for something that doesnB次元官网网址檛 benefit them or ultimately the region. Especially, as it is the province that has jurisdiction over highways and can provide the funding needed for improvements such as priority lanes for buses and people car pooling.
She also noted that the region already has the authority to go to the province to petition for funding and they donB次元官网网址檛 need to be handing their power as elected officials over to the CRD, which would just add another level of bureaucracy to the process. B次元官网网址淧eople in all of our areas are looking for solutions, not for more studies.B次元官网网址�
She suggested a task force be formed instead and simple things such as traffic counts be done, which would actually give them an idea of how many cars are travelling on what roadways, from which municipalities, and at what times. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know if thatB次元官网网址檚 ever been done,B次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淚 want real solutions on the roads, not paper solutions.B次元官网网址�
Beside some simple data collection she noted outside of the CRD, major stakeholders havenB次元官网网址檛 been asked to sit down at the same table. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 never been an effort made, that IB次元官网网址檓 aware of, to bring all of the stake holders together,B次元官网网址� Hamilton noted, which includes B.C. Transit.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 premature,B次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not saying we shouldnB次元官网网址檛 get there but thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of work that hasnB次元官网网址檛 been done.B次元官网网址�
cvanreeuwyk@oakbaynews.com
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