TEAM on transit: a bus stop within a 5-minute walk and streetcars on arterials
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says it would work with TransLink to restore cut bus routes, electrify the fleet, put every resident within a 5-minute walk of a stop, add small community bus routes, stop removing bus stops and bring back streetcars on selected arterial streets.
TRANSPORTATION
Transit: what the Our Positions says
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says much of Vancouver is still hard to reach by transit and that the money should go into a better bus network for the whole city. On its Transportation pages, the party prefers electric buses running on many arterial streets over a few costly rapid transit corridors.
The bus promises are specific. TEAM would aim for every resident to live within a 5-minute walk of a local stop, add small community bus routes in parts of the city it calls neglected, restore neighbourhood and express routes that TransLink has cut, and keep fares affordable. Its summary page adds that it would stop the removal of bus stops and add new ones in neighbourhoods with poor service. Buses would move to electric, using both trolley buses and battery buses.
TEAM would also look at bringing back streetcars on a few arterial streets where enough people would ride them, and points to the City's 2019 Streetcar Feasibility Study. It would work with fast-growing neighbouring cities on stronger regional routes. Every one of these steps runs through TransLink, the regional body that plans and runs buses, SkyTrain and SeaBus. The city does not control TransLink, so a TEAM council could ask, negotiate and help with street space, but TransLink would decide.
THE PARTY'S NUMBERS
Figures in this chapter
Walking time to a local transit stop that TEAM would aim for for every resident
The party's figureYear of the City of Vancouver Streetcar Feasibility Study the party would review
The party's figure11 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Equitable, affordable transit for every neighbourhood
TEAM would work with TransLink and local communities to develop more equitable, affordable and suitably scaled transit options to serve all Vancouver neighbourhoods.
- Who has the power
- Regional body TransLink, a regional body the city does not control, runs the buses, so the city can only work with it.
Restore and electrify cut bus routes with affordable fares
The party would work with TransLink on service improvements such as restoring and electrifying neighbourhood and express bus services on lines TransLink has cut in recent years, and keeping fares affordable.
- Who has the power
- Regional body TransLink, a regional body the city does not control, runs the buses and sets fares.
A local transit stop within a 5-minute walk
TEAM would aim for a level of bus service that puts all residents within a 5-minute walk of a local transit stop.
- Who has the power
- Regional body TransLink, a regional body the city does not control, runs the buses and decides where stops and routes go.
Small community bus routes
The party would add small community bus routes to neglected parts of the city.
- Who has the power
- Regional body TransLink, a regional body the city does not control, runs the buses and decides new routes.
Electrify the bus system
TEAM would work with TransLink to electrify the bus system, using both trolley buses and battery buses, to reduce noise, greenhouse gases, particulates and diesel air pollution.
- Who has the power
- Regional body TransLink, a regional body the city does not control, runs the buses and buys the fleet.
Electric transit across the arterial network
The party would focus on neighbourhood-based planning for complete, walkable communities served by electric transit that is affordable to build throughout the arterial network, in place of only a few expensive transit corridors. Its environment page also speaks of working with TransLink to expand frequent service on all arterials.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Council controls neighbourhood planning and city streets, while TransLink runs the transit service.
Bring back streetcars on selected arterials
TEAM would restore neighbourhood-friendly streetcars on a few selected arterial streets where ridership justifies it, and would review the City of Vancouver's 2019 Streetcar Feasibility Study.
- Who has the power
- City, with others The city controls its streets, while transit service in the region is run by TransLink.
Stronger regional transit routes
The party would cooperate with fast-growing neighbouring cities and TransLink to strengthen regional transit routes and reduce pressure on the existing road network.
- Who has the power
- Regional body Regional routes are planned and run by TransLink, which the city does not control.
Stop removing bus stops
TEAM's summary page says it would stop the elimination of bus stops.
- Who has the power
- Regional body TransLink, a regional body the city does not control, runs the buses and decides where stops go.
New stops in under-served neighbourhoods
The party's summary page says it would expand bus service and add new stops in under-served neighbourhoods to build an accessible, city-wide transit network.
- Who has the power
- Regional body TransLink, a regional body the city does not control, runs the buses and decides where stops go.
More frequent service to meet demand
TEAM would work with TransLink to increase the frequency of service to meet demand and expand service so all areas of the city have convenient pedestrian access to transit.
- Who has the power
- Regional body TransLink, a regional body the city does not control, runs the buses and sets service levels.
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about transit
What is TEAM for a Livable Vancouver's plan for buses?
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says it would work with TransLink to restore cut neighbourhood and express routes, electrify buses, add small community routes, stop removing bus stops and aim for every resident to be within a 5-minute walk of a local stop (TEAM Transportation page).
Does TEAM want streetcars in Vancouver?
Yes, on some streets. TEAM says it would restore neighbourhood-friendly streetcars on a few selected arterial streets where ridership justifies it, and would review the City's 2019 Streetcar Feasibility Study (TEAM Transportation page).
Does TEAM support new SkyTrain lines?
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says it prefers electric transit on the whole arterial network over a few expensive transit corridors. Its planning page says it would reconsider the City's support for the SkyTrain extension to UBC (TEAM Transportation page).
Would TEAM electrify Vancouver buses?
Yes. TEAM says it would work with TransLink to electrify the bus system with both trolley and battery buses, to reduce noise, greenhouse gases, particulates and diesel pollution (TEAM Transportation page).
Can Vancouver City Council change bus routes?
No. TransLink, a regional body the city does not control, plans and runs buses, SkyTrain and SeaBus. A TEAM council could ask and negotiate, and could change city streets to help buses, but TransLink would decide routes, stops and fares (TEAM Transportation page).
Would TEAM add bus stops in Vancouver?
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says it would stop the elimination of bus stops and add new stops in under-served neighbourhoods. TransLink decides where stops go, so the city would have to work with it (TEAM Transportation page).
ON THE BALLOT
The TEAM for a Livable Vancouver candidates behind this
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- TEAM transportation, learn more SAYS SO ITSELFTEAM for a Livable Vancouver · checked