SURREY (NEWS1130) – For years now, we have heard complaints that people living on the south side of the Fraser River have been desperately underserved by transit, and the preferred solution from politicians has been light rail.

But one group now claims to have a better plan.

Better Surrey Rapid Transit wants to see the Expo Line extended from King George Station to Langley Centre.

It says it could run along a mostly elevated right of way along Fraser Highway.

The other parts of the vision include improvements to bus service on 104th Avenue, as well as rapid bus transit along King George Boulevard to White Rock.

The bus improvements on 104th would mean more service, all-door boarding, congestion management, new queue jump lanes, and a signal priority system.

The improvements, and the rapid transit to White Rock would involve the 96 B-Line.

Simon Fraser University’s Lindsay Meredith says the rapid bus lane makes more sense financially than light rail.

“Maybe you know what? Good old buses still do a good old job, and at least you’re delivering something to Surrey and you’re doing it now. Not five years from now, something the voter can look at right now.”

He adds, “TransLink has gotta get its head out of the sack and start thinking about whatever it is we’ve got to deliver, we’ve got to deliver it to Surrey and we have do it right damn now. Even though it’s a boring bus system, get it in there, get some cards on the table, show Surrey that you actually care about them.”

The group predicts its plan would cost $2.3 billion, while it’s believed a vision for light rail backed by the city would cost $2.44 billion.