[Pro.N]

I take the LRT everyday, at all different hours mostly from Churchill, Central, MacEwan stations. I can confidently say that there has been massive improvement on safety/cleanliness in the past 2 years (obviously anecdotal), but fare gates would make a huge difference, especially now with ARC and tap-to-pay here. Also, come on ETS, get with the times!

I always find it funny when I hear EPS taking the lead on these safety discussions, because frankly, I hardly ever see them...maybe it's timing, maybe they're in other stations, but during the worst periods, they were basically invisible. I've seen transit riders take more action and de-escalate more often than I saw any EPS presence. I know numbers paint a different, almost unfair, picture, but we really need to counter this narrative that the LRT is some crime and homeless filled place. There's work to be done, but its also come a long way.

 

[yeggator]

but fare gates would make a huge difference, especially now with ARC and tap-to-pay here. Also, come on ETS, get with the times!

The downtown station concourses need to be redesigned to convince me it’s worth the money to install fare gates. Consolidate all the small entrances to a station into one grand ingress/egress with good lighting and sight lines that funnels everyone towards the fare gates. Then we’re talking.

 

[thommyjo]

The downtown station concourses need to be redesigned to convince me it’s worth the money to install fare gates. Consolidate all the small entrances to a station into one grand ingress/egress with good lighting and sight lines that funnels everyone towards the fare gates. Then we’re talking.

I agree. I’m not sure the value of avoiding a street level intersection crossing is worth it anymore when the entrance has drug users in it 50% of the time. Have less entrances and exits, make them bigger, brighter, safer… and keep consistent foot traffic coming in and out of them.

Does anyone know when the CRL money for LRT station improvements will happen?

 

[The_Cat]

I wonder if the CBC news features will be on CBC Gem.

 

[David A]

I take the LRT everyday, at all different hours mostly from Churchill, Central, MacEwan stations. I can confidently say that there has been massive improvement on safety/cleanliness in the past 2 years (obviously anecdotal), but fare gates would make a huge difference, especially now with ARC and tap-to-pay here. Also, come on ETS, get with the times!

I always find it funny when I hear EPS taking the lead on these safety discussions, because frankly, I hardly ever see them...maybe it's timing, maybe they're in other stations, but during the worst periods, they were basically invisible. I've seen transit riders take more action and de-escalate more often than I saw any EPS presence. I know numbers paint a different, almost unfair, picture, but we really need to counter this narrative that the LRT is some crime and homeless filled place. There's work to be done, but its also come a long way.

Yes, when it comes to safety, ETS seems very risk adverse and just full of excuses to do nothing. I recall when it was announced there were going to be security staff in the LRT most people thought things would improve, but the security staff never seemed to be around where the problems were and even seemed to try avoid them.

So its not a coincidence we rate badly compared to other cities, part of the problem here is the mentality of those who run the system.

 

[JuliallThat]

I take the LRT everyday, at all different hours mostly from Churchill, Central, MacEwan stations. I can confidently say that there has been massive improvement on safety/cleanliness in the past 2 years (obviously anecdotal), but fare gates would make a huge difference, especially now with ARC and tap-to-pay here. Also, come on ETS, get with the times!

I always find it funny when I hear EPS taking the lead on these safety discussions, because frankly, I hardly ever see them...maybe it's timing, maybe they're in other stations, but during the worst periods, they were basically invisible. I've seen transit riders take more action and de-escalate more often than I saw any EPS presence. I know numbers paint a different, almost unfair, picture, but we really need to counter this narrative that the LRT is some crime and homeless filled place. There's work to be done, but its also come a long way.

All of the talk about whether we should set up fare gates or not reminds me of the discussion with Skytrain fare gates in the lower mainland back ~15 years ago?
Though I don't remember all the details, it kept coming up for concerns of fare evasion or public safety, but Translink said it wasn't a big deal and it wasn't worth the cost.
It was the Provincial government in the end that decided to push forward with faregates regardless of what Translink or the cities wanted to do. Sometimes I wonder if we could whisper to the right minister and convince them it's imperative to install faregates, perhaps redirect someone who is currently distracted by bikelanes? Might be more productive than pleading with council to put up the funding for it.

 

[BrettB]

All of the talk about whether we should set up fare gates or not reminds me of the discussion with Skytrain fare gates in the lower mainland back ~15 years ago?
Though I don't remember all the details, it kept coming up for concerns of fare evasion or public safety, but Translink said it wasn't a big deal and it wasn't worth the cost.
It was the Provincial government in the end that decided to push forward with faregates regardless of what Translink or the cities wanted to do. Sometimes I wonder if we could whisper to the right minister and convince them it's imperative to install faregates, perhaps redirect someone who is currently distracted by bikelanes? Might be more productive than pleading with council to put up the funding for it.

Yes the BC Liberals instituted the fare gates and Metro Vancouver was more than happy to let them take it on.

The province acted when the SkyTrain was derided as the CrimeTrain. Fare gates and a dedicated transit police force helped turn that impression around.

 

[David A]

Yes the BC Liberals instituted the fare gates and Metro Vancouver was more than happy to let them take it on.

The province acted when the SkyTrain was derided as the CrimeTrain. Fare gates and a dedicated transit police force helped turn that impression around.

BC may be different because it only has one major city and issues in that city can dominate politics in that province. However, the UCP might be happy to to do this and it could benefit them politically.

Although it sure would make our city management and council look bad and ineffective, if this happened.

 

[Edmcowboy11]

There will be panhandlers where ever you go. If they are not disturbing the patrons than they wont and shouldn't be an issue. For any signs of open drug use the cops should definitely step in.

 

[dkazzed]

Yes the BC Liberals instituted the fare gates and Metro Vancouver was more than happy to let them take it on.

The province acted when the SkyTrain was derided as the CrimeTrain. Fare gates and a dedicated transit police force helped turn that impression around.

Violent crimes still take place on Skytrain, dedicated transit police and attendants can't be everywhere and those fare gates don't stop fare paying or even non fare paying offenders.

Not transit specific but this is a very active topic on crime/disorder in Vancouver. https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php

 

[BrettB]

Agreed. Notice I said those measures helped turn the impression around.

 

[ChazYEG]

Although it sure would make our city management and council look bad and ineffective, if this happened.

But they are ineffective.... At least as far as these issues go, they are VERY ineffective

 

[David A]

But they are ineffective.... At least as far as these issues go, they are VERY ineffective

I kind of get why the last council who had a lot of new and inexperienced people let themselves be led around by the administration who were adverse to doing various things, but its time to take the training wheels off now.

 

[EdwardEdm]

There were "mind the gap" signs on the walls as well if I recall. They've been around since the early-mid 2010's, ever since 5 car trains saw use which was fairly frequent at the time.

Turns out it was 2016 that "mind the gap" showed up in Central and Churchill.

ETS first used "mind the gap" in the summer of 2013 when they were rebuilding the Stadium platform and created wooden extensions at each end to allow half of the platform to be rebuilt


The chandeliers in Corona Station are having lights replaced and crystals cleaned. I know I've seen this work at least once before. A long time ago I remember one of the chandeliers had coloured lights. Maybe even colour changing. I'm pretty sure I took a photo, but, that was many years ago now on film.