Dear Editor:
As a North Shore resident, I feel compelled to send a message to the North Shore mayors and councils regarding the two cent hike on the gas tax.
Although I fully support the expansion of public transportation and bike lanes within the region, I am extremely concerned that the money North Shore residents are paying into this expansion does not lead to any expansion of public transportation on the North Shore. If anything, over the past 10 years, I have seen a decline in service.
It feels as if the North Shore has been completely taken off the map with the provision of more public transit, and are not even on the drawing board with regards to future plans for a rapid-transit link to the North Shore.
While expansion of the SkyTrain has been pushing east, towards sprawling communities, to ease the traffic on major highway networks, North Shore residents must still wait, in some cases for a bus that only comes on the hour (if it even comes at all), manoeuvre through ever-increasing traffic and gridlocks on the Iron Workers Memorial and Lions Gate bridges, or take a SeaBus that to this day has not provided the increased sailings via the third SeaBus, promised to residents prior to the Olympics.
My question to the mayors and council members of the North Shore: Since this is an election year, is what are you going to bring to the table with regards to expanded and increased public transportation for North Shore residents?
When are we, North Shore residents, going to see the money we contribute through the gas tax materialize into a public transportation network that the rest of the Lower Mainland seems to be receiving?
Tracey Weldon
North Vancouver
