The Editor,
Re. "Is Coq. ‘losing ground’ in efforts to promote driving alternatives?" (The Tri-City News, Nov. 28).
My wife and I are retired. Once a week, we have to travel downtown and choose to take SkyTrain instead of driving. Lately, we have found there is no vacant parking space near paid parking location near Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station in Coquitlam. There is no paid parking near Lincoln Station. Coquitlam Central Station has the same problem. We drive to Moody Centre Station and there, also, there is no parking because we take SkyTrain after 10 a.m.
Due to this parking frustration, my wife and I then drive to downtown.
TransLink will have to come up with more paid parking locations.
On occasions, when we have been lucky to board a train, we find standing room only. On many occasions, we have seen teens and others not so old sit in priority seats and make no effort to give up their seats.
On one occasion, I saw a TransLink customer service official standing right next to a teen girl sitting in priority seat but he made no attempt to ask her to vacate that spot for seniors who were standing.
This is the pathetic state of affairs and then councillors wonder what is the problem?
Parking is one big problem. Second, civility, courtesy, consideration and empathy have gone off the rails.
There should be TransLink officials on trains checking to see if order is maintained. I see many people occupying two seats, one on which to put their feet or their bulky backpacks.
TransLink should look at places like Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and other countries to learn how orderly their transit systems operate.
It would be nice, if you can put out a questionnaire for customers to respond and read their frustrations and comments.
Nanu J. Dastur, Port Moody
