Bullying Doesn’t Stop Scarborough Transit Action from Telling the Truth about transit plans on Sheppard East

Cameron MacLeod from CodeRedTO-an organization dedicated to informing debates on public transportation -printed materials into Simplified Chinese Text  for the benefit of the many Chinese seniors that would be present at the event.  Scarborough Transit Action and TTCriders member Milan Gokhale – who himself was a graduate of Agincourt CI - also brought handouts for the general public and eagerly explained the need for new transit investments in Toronto to attendees.

But facts and amicable debate were hard to find amongst a crowd of pro-subway supporters of who intimidated, bullied, and verbally abused the rest of the audience.

Observers noted that the rhetoric of the Sheppard Subway supporters was hostile and abusive. One question posed to Minister Del Duca accused the Liberals of implementing "garbage streetcars". Another question asked why the Liberals are wasting money on LRTs, and equated money spent on LRTs to the money spent on the gas plant scandal. One participant even had the audacity to take CodeRedTO’s  undistributed educational material from the back of the room and throw it into the garbage.

It’s important to highlight the differences between the assertions made by the pro-subway group and the actual facts:

• LRT’s are NOT the same as streetcars. They use bigger vehicles holding hundreds of passengers each and can be joined together in a train.  LRTs are physically separated from cars on the road, can operate underground and at ground level and are faster than streetcars due to wider stop spacing. LRTs are reliable and are used all over the world including places like Sweden, Singapore,  Calgary and Edmonton.
• LRT’s will NOT take space away from cars. Plans for the Sheppard and Finch LRTs include widening the roadways to accommodate existing automobile lanes in addition to cycle lanes and wide sidewalks for residents.
• Subways do NOT last 100 years. Pro-subway supporters often state that LRTs are fare less superior because they do not last 100 years like subways. The only thing that could last 100 years in a subway system are the tunnels and only given the best weather conditions. Signals have to be upgraded every 25-30 years and rails must be updated every 15-25 years. This is not an exhaustive list, there are many more things that need repairing on subways more than once a century.
• Building subways are expensive but pro-subway politicians in Toronto insist that there are many ways to finance their construction without raising taxes.  The Scarborough subway debacle has busted that myth. $1billion can buy only 3km of subway. The same amount of money can buy 12 km of modern light rail. Which option do you think would benefit  Torontonians more?

With all of the talk focused around subways it's important that we think about the opportunities that could be lost if Toronto prioritizes building three kilometers of subway instead of  building the twelve fully-provincially-funded kilometers of light rapid transit along Sheppard Ave. East that the City and the Province had previously agreed to. Let’s remember that we as Torontonians collectively lost the opportunity to provide 47,000 people with light rapid transit in Scarborough. Instead of a seven stop LRT, city council voted for a three- stop subway  which will bypass some of the most highly populated areas of Scarborough that have been waiting for decades to get better transit.

Will we let history repeat itself on Sheppard Ave. E.?

TTCriders, Scarborough transit Action and CodeRedTO encourage you to take a look at the links below. Tell your friends and families about groups like TTCriders and Scarborough Transit Action and make time to have transit conversations based on facts. Then ask your local politicians the tough questions.  Don’t believe the hype that a line drawn on a map will be your next silver-bullet.

Call 311 and tell your local councilor how you feel about the transit plans for Sheppard Ave East..

Resources:

CodeRedTO comparison of the benefits vs the costs of Subways vs LRTs:

http://coderedto.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Sheppard_East_Light_Rail_Facts1.pdf

CodeRedTO comments on a misleading flyer put together by subway lobby group: http://coderedto.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2012-03-15-misleading-flyer.pdf

Compare the Scarborough light rail and subway options side-by-side:

https://www.facebook.com/284702358209548/photos/pb.284702358209548.-2207520000.1411865187./666867073326406/?type=1&theater

Information on the Sheppard and Scarborough LRTs from a non-profit organization called Respect Scarborough:

http://www.respectscarborough.ca/priority-issues/transit/

Some general information about LRTs:

http://www.torontoenvironment.org/campaigns/transit/LRTfaq