Media Release: HandyDART Riders’ Alliance
HandyDART Riders to Press for Elected TransLink Board:
Group will attend September 28 meeting of board NDP denounced as “Liberal appointees”
The HandyDART Riders’ Alliance will attend the TransLink Board
HandyDART rider at July 2017 TransLink Mayors’ Council meeting
meeting on Thursday September 28, 10am to noon, as a way of reminding the NDP’s election promise to “Fix TransLink” by putting elected officials back in charge.
The BC NDP election platform states that the “BC Liberals made a mess of Metro Vancouver’s transportation governance, by undermining the mayors, giving power to Liberal appointees over elected officials [and] passing the buck when convenient.” However, the NDP has not yet given a timeline for fixing TransLink governance.
“The Liberal appointees are still on the board, and TransLink governance is still a mess” says HandyDART Riders’ Alliance Co-coordinator Beth McKellar. “We are still hopeful for this new government, but we want a clear signal the NDP won’t pass the buck on HandyDART contracting out”
The decision will be made soon on contracting out HandyDART again for a minimum of 3-5 years, or bringing HandyDART in house. TransLink issued a Request for Proposals for HandyDART contracting out and the corporations have already filed their responses.
HandyDART riders & allies at July 2017 Mayors’ Council meeting
The HandyDART Riders’ Alliance sees the poor quality of HandyDART service associated with contracting out as a human rights violation, and filed a human rights complaint. This complaint was recently accepted by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, and mediation is tentatively scheduled for mid-December.
“Until a legitimate TransLink board is in place the Minister Responsible for TransLink, Selina Robinson, is responsible for what TransLink does” says HandyDART Riders’ Alliance member Roseanne Shannon. “We want Minister Robinson or a new TransLink board of elected officials to make the decision. Otherwise, the NDP would be passing the buck to a board they denounced as Liberal appointees.”
TransLink promised a Multiple Accounts Evaluation of bringing HandyDART in house compared to contracting out. However, no Multiple Accounts Evaluation (MAE) report was ever completed. Instead, the TransLink board rubber stamped contracting out without properly considering safety or quality of service.
HandyDART Riders Alliance spokespeople will be available for interviews at the TransLink board meeting Thurs Sept 28 10 am to noon at the TransLink Boardroom – 4th floor 287 Nelson’s Court New Westminster, BC.
-30-
For more information please contact:
Beth McKellar – HandyDART Riders’ Alliance Co-chair 604 444 9289
www.HandyDARTriders.ca