Surrey and other South Fraser communities are once again getting stiffed by TransLink.

Two new bus routes, which had been announced last May, will not go ahead. The 531 would have allowed for transit service in an area that has never had it – from White Rock to Grandview Corners shopping centre and Campbell Heights business park. Both those areas attract many people each day, and a bus which was to run every half hour along 24 Avenue and into south Langley would have provided a viable alternative to driving.

The other cancellation will have an even more devastating impact on transit ridership. An express bus, the 399 B Line, had been scheduled to run along 152 Street and King George Highway from White Rock through Newton and into Whalley, and then to Guildford. This bus was to run every seven and one-half minutes and make only limited stops – thus offering much faster travel times.

This bus service would have finally provided Surrey residents an express bus service similar to that offered along Broadway in Vancouver, and would have made taking transit much more viable for many people. One reason residents are reluctant to use transit is the extra travel time it entails. Express bus service reduces travel times.

Tom Prendergast, the CEO of TransLink who is leaving his position for a job running the New York subway system, said in September that transit service in the South Fraser region is minimal.

His exact words were this: “There is really no transit service south of the Fraser. It is almost impossible to take transit from Vancouver to here.”

He was being honest, perhaps brutally so. But now that mayors have approved a plan to give TransLink another $130 million out of taxpayers’ and transit users’ pockets, it is tough to swallow the fact that Surrey, Langley, White Rock and Delta will not even get needed expansions.

Why are we paying so much towards TransLink, if we can’t get any decent amount of service? There are more than 600,000 people living in this region – almost the equivalent of the population of the City of Vancouver. Yet the transit service we get here is probably about one-tenth of that offered in Vancouver.

It is true that some areas of Vancouver have higher densities and transit service can be run at a lower cost because of higher fare recoveries, But many parts of Vancouver are very low-density – lower than many Surrey neighbourhoods – and still enjoy transit service. This is also true in Burnaby, which has vast areas of single-family homes on large lots.

Surrey does have SkyTrain service – but it is of limited value due to the fact that one must be travelling to downtown Vancouver, Burnaby or New Westminster to really make use of it. Any trips to other parts of the Lower Mainland require using a car.

TransLink has some serious financial challenges, and some of them result from introductions of new services. However, if South Fraser residents are being asked to pay higher property taxes, higher gas taxes and higher fares to keep TransLink going, it is time that this area received a higher level of service. If that means reducing service in some areas of Vancouver and Burnaby to make it happen, maybe TransLink should be prepared to take that step.