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LETTER: Debate grows over long buses

Editor: Re: White Rock no place for big buses, Oct. 16.
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A retiring White Rock councillor’s views on White Rock not having room for full-size buses sparks discussion.

Editor:

Re: White Rock 'no place for big buses', Oct. 16.

Thumbs up to White Rock Coun. Louise Hutchinson for her observations about “great, big, long buses in White Rock.”

Although I do not have an opinion about the situation in White Rock, I most certainly share those exact sentiments about the dozens of the 351 bus that course through Crescent Beach each and every day.

The streets in the beach area are very narrow and not at all suitable for these highway buses that run almost always empty through the neighbourhood. Nor do the drivers respect the 30 km/h speed limit within the beach area.

Meanwhile the rest of South Surrey is crying for increased bus service.

Translink doesn’t seem to have noticed most of the new builds are not along the western boundaries.

A smaller community bus coming through the beach area would be so appreciated.

Jane Wright, Surrey

• • •

Coun. Louise Hutchinson obviously doesn’t take public transit.

Her comments that “we don’t need great, big, long buses in White Rock” are ridiculous and shortsighted.

We do need these buses. I use the 351 to get to Vancouver – it is easier and less polluting than driving.

I doubt very much that Hutchinson has ever been on the 351 on a weekday around 6 or 7 a.m. If she saw how crowded these buses are, with the citizens she represents, she would not make such a silly statement as “my goal one day is not to have the 351s here at all.”

Hutchinson would be better off complaining about all the cars with one occupant; these are the vehicles that clog our streets, it isn’t the buses.

Fortunately, for all of us in White Rock, Hutchinson will not be running for council again!

Susan Ellis, White Rock

• • •

I just moved to Thrift Avenue.

I saw the bus stop when I rented our new home but assumed it was for small community buses. Little did I know that I would be living with the noise of more than 150 Greyhound-type buses speeding by my bedroom window each day, beginning at 4:27 a.m.

My guess is the count is closer to 300 buses, since the majority of the buses are ‘Not In Service,’ plus there are the 354 buses as well. The NIS buses are always speeding over 50 km/h and all of the buses sound like jet planes.

I have slept with my window open during all four seasons for my entire life, but now I must get up and close my window in the middle of the night after I’m woken up. This is probably best, since black plumes of smoke shoot out of the buses coming up the hill, so I’m now dealing with air and noise pollution.

I moved to White Rock for the fresh air and the peace and quiet. I used to live near Davie and Denman in downtown Vancouver, and I thought the buses there were loud; they are whisper-quiet compared to the rocketships here.

There is a new condo development going up on Thrift Avenue with $1.5-million units. Who is going to spend that kind of money to sit on an ocean-view deck, huff diesel smoke and not be able to hear their family or friends over the traffic?

I hope that these buses are diverted down a different road in the very near future. Thrift Avenue has no businesses on it: it is a purely residential street from Winter to Oxford, with two small lanes with some room for parking. It should not be used as a corridor for speeding buses; 16 Avenue, with its four wide lanes, is designed for that purpose.

I applaud Coun. Louise Hutchinson’s attempts to get rid of these buses in White Rock. I wish she were running for re-election; I would vote for her in a heartbeat.

M. Hollaway, White Rock