Dear Editor,

Re: “Council pushes for more bike lanes,” News, Dec. 12.

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The activists have taken over at Richmond City Hall.

It was just a matter of time until Couns. Michael Wolfe, Kelly Greene and others moved forward with their intended agenda to get council to declare a climate emergency and then get separated bike lanes in place without a thought about the cost the taxpayers — $6 million to build a 2.7-kilometres, separated bike lane on Steveston Highway, while also narrowing the existing lane by 0.62 metres.

To make matters worse, we are told by city staff that the real reason for the bike lane is to force people out of their vehicles and cut down vehicle speed.

Richmonites are also told of a survey which indicates that more people would start cycling.

Where is the evidence of this — and I don’t mean HUB members just phoning in? (HUB Cycling is a Metro Vancouver not-for-profit organization that promotes cycling in the region.) But the kicker to this agenda is to hand over $75,000 dollars to HUB to teach kids about cycling.

There are so many better ways to spend this money.

Total money allocated to all the bike lanes being planned in Richmond is over $10 million.

Lynn Davies

RICHMOND

Editor’s note: The 2020 budget for cycling-related projects is $7.95 million.