The development of the light rail network linking Guildford with central Surrey and Newtown began in 2014 when Surrey’s then mayor, Mrs Linda Hepner, promised to build city’s first light rail line within four years.
However, Surrey council, led by the newly-elected mayor, Mr Doug McCallum, voted on November 6 to ask the Translink Mayors’ council to cancel the light rail project and instead extend SkyTrain along Fraser Highway towards Langley.
A report to the Mayors’ council said $C 77m has already been spent on planning and pre-construction works for the light rail project. According to the report, additional costs would be minimal if the project is restarted within four to six months, but a new business case would have to be completed if it is suspended for longer than that.
TransLink halted work on the project on November 6 following the Surrey council’s decision, in order to avoid additional expenditure.
At a meeting on November 15, Translink Mayors’ council agreed unanimously to suspend the light rail project indefinitely and directed council staff to develop a report on how the SkyTrain project could be implemented.
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