'Pushing for SkyTrain': Langley mayoral candidates say LRT isn't right option for city

There are plenty of issues that Langley mayoral candidates Peter Fassbender and Val van den Broek don't agree on, but they're on the same page when it comes to the biggest transportation project in the city's history.

Fassbender and van den Broek agree that when rapid transit is built from Surrey to Langley, it should not be light rail.

"I will take LRT if it comes down to it and that's all TransLink is going to go for, but I am definitely pushing for SkyTrain," van den Broek said.

"We'll have to talk to whoever is elected in Surrey because that's going to be a huge, huge item right off the bat."

In 2014, the Metro Vancouver Mayors' Council laid out its 10-year vision for transportation projects in the region.

LRT in two phases

The first phase of the plan calls for an LRT line that will run in an 'L' shape from Guildford to Surrey City Centre along 104 Avenue and then proceed along King George Boulevard to 72 Avenue.

The second phase includes a second LRT line that will run for 16.5 kilometres along Fraser Highway between Surrey and Langley.

Former Surrey mayor Dianne Watts and outgoing mayor LindaHepnerboth advocated forLRT.

Fassbender says SkyTrain is a better option, even if it is much more expensive.

"Mayor Watts and then mayor Hepner both were passionate about at-grade rail and I don't think it was based on reality but based on a vision that they had for the downtown core of Surrey," Fassbender said.

"I didn't agree with them now and I don't agree with that direction now."

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