England brings in round-the-clock trains, DVBIA says it’s time Metro Vancouver follows
Posted August 21, 2016 3:40 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – London, England brought in 24-hour subway service over the weekend yesterday, so is it time for Metro Vancouver to consider the same thing?
One local group is calling for round the clock SkyTrain.
Bars and nightclubs have been asking for later trains for a while now, and it came up during last year’s transit plebiscite too.
But Charles Gauthier with the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association says they’ve heard a lot of recent demand from young people.
“Millennials are the ones that primarily are not buying cars, probably delaying getting their driver’s license. It’s something we really need to take into consideration, especially with home ownership not being it the grasp of a lot of people these days and they are having to live further and further away from the downtown core. But that’s where most of the jobs are.”
But Gauthier says they’ve been told there are a number of things standing in the way of 24-hour service.
“You know, track maintenance, and there’s a whole list of things that come up as reasons. But I’m not suggesting those aren’t legitimate reasons, but hey, if London can do it, why can’t we! And certainly let’s start with a Friday and Saturday night.”
He believes extended SkyTrain hours would also encourage people not to drink and drive and believes it would also take some pressure of the over-extended taxi industry.
