Surrey Council advocating to have the first BRT in the region

Surrey, B.C. – During Monday’s Regular Council Meeting, City Council directed staff to work with TransLink on advancing design of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), with the intent to have TransLink award its first BRT in the region to Surrey. If successful, the proposed BRT route would run on King George Boulevard from City Centre to South Surrey.

“It’s clear that transit in Surrey is overloaded and underserved,” said Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke. “It is all too common to see huge crowds waiting at major bus loops during peak travel times in Surrey, as well as regularly seeing buses that are full to capacity. That is why TransLink should put its first BRT in the region in Surrey.”

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, transit ridership in Surrey has recovered faster than any other city in Metro Vancouver, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, and increased transit service is required to support continued growth and housing needs in Surrey.

Based on a review of the nine proposed BRT corridors in the region, King George Boulevard has the highest existing population, the highest existing transit ridership, and is the only corridor that can be advanced without coordination between multiple municipalities (as the corridor is solely within the boundaries of the City of Surrey). The City has also recently widened key infrastructure along the corridor, including the Bear Creek Bridge and Nicomekl Bridge (currently under construction).

These factors support quick implementation of a BRT, which would provide immediate benefits including reduced traffic congestion and increased transit ridership on King George, making it the most favourable option for rapid implementation.