Shift: London's Rapid Transit Initiative

[Rosso Corsa]

Originally Posted by Snark

The backlash against RT in London has started. I was listening to Craig Needles' talk radio show on AM 980 a week or so ago. I generally pass by such drivel, as talk radio is typically a right-wing rage generation machine with clear agendas - which is to trash somebody or something as the topic of each show.

Anyway, I came upon Needles' "round table" discussion during his show. It was a panel discussion comprised of the DJ "Taz" from FM96, a fellow named Stewart Blair who is a local Conservative party insider and realtor, and Cheryl Miller who is a former councilor, local conservative party candidate, and realtor (something of a trend there). The reason it held my attention was that the topic of discussion was the decision of city council to continue with the rapid transit project. All 4 of them savaged the project in the most merciless manner possible. It was a solid hour of totally trashing the idea, and the people behind it.

Listening to their arguments quickly belied the fact that none of them knew much about the topic, but that didn't stop them. Probably their stupides<script id="gpt-impl-0.6153228946545084" src="http://partner.googleadservices.com/gpt/pubads_impl_75.js"></script>t argument against building a RT system was that due to the current rate of technological change, light rail transit will be obsolete in a decade (!) - so such a system should never be built in the first place. Of course if one follows that mantra nothing will ever get built because there will always be new technology coming out in a future decade, and apparently the TTC and other cities will be junking their existing LRT transit systems, because flying cars or whatever that new technology is apparently will coming in 10 years will replace it.

The "Taz" guy (who is apparently is eminently qualified to discuss the subject by being a radio show morning man), kept hammering away at the idea that any money that was to be for LRT should instead be put into building a ring road. The idea is that no one (other than students and old folks) will use LRT in London because car is king, so all municipal efforts should be poured into servicing automobile transportation - which will of course encourage even more private cars and even more discourage public transit - which is of course is why no one should be investing in public transit because no one will use it. Circular logic.

Cheryl Miller kept hoping that the whole thing is a ruse, intended to get the higher levels of government on the hook for big grant funding. Once such funding is secured, the money could then be diverted to some other "legitimate" project that would actually be worthwhile.

So, in closing, I know that folks here are big supporters of an LRT system in London - but it's not going to be that easy. Now that it's on the public radar the opposition will rise - with the flames fanned by the likes of talk radio, and, typically, more conservative leaning individuals.

What an embarrassment. I'm cringing just knowing these opinions are being aired to the masses. Would it kill our local figureheads to spread some positivity about the whole thing?