Mere days from a crucial decision on bus rapid transit, Mayor Matt Brown is savaging the accuracy of a new opinion poll commissioned by the project’s loudest critics.

The survey, which suggests Londoners overwhelmingly oppose BRT as planned, is “a classic push poll” from a “very well-funded special interest group” led by downtown merchants under the banner Down Shift, Brown said in a Tuesday interview.

“We need to be responsible with the information that’s being talked about out there in the community and we need to clearly identify information that’s not accurate,” Brown said.

“Sometimes we see this in politics and it’s the worst kind of politics because it’s based on fear, hyperbole, inaccuracy. And it erodes public trust.”

Those are arguably the strongest BRT comments yet from Brown, who along with London’s 14 ward councillors are scheduled to approve the final routes for the 24-kilometre system of high-frequency buses next Monday and Tuesday.

Brown’s comments came hours after Down Shift — a well-organized group, seeking to stall or even kill the project — published the results of the poll, conducted by Toronto-based Forum Research.

Among the questions was one that asked which of three stated options “most closely matches your opinion on the BRT project.” Here are the results:

BRT should be “completely scrapped”: 44 per cent

City hall should spend “a lot more time consulting” Londoners: 41 per cent

BRT should “move forward as it is”: nine per cent

Brown dismissed the overall results as a “push poll,” one that asks leading questions to draw a desired response. While that’s a matter of interpretation, there were facts included that are inaccurate, as the mayor noted.

For example, the poll began with a 61-word introduction that puts BRT’s budget at “more than $700 million,” though the construction price tag is $560 million. Another phrase noted “most of the available on-street parking downtown” will be axed by BRT, which is also not the case, Brown said.

“So many of the questions aren’t just inaccurate — it provides false information,” Brown said “We need to make decisions that are rooted in fact.”

Down Shift is spearheaded by restaurant owner Mike Smith, owner of Joe Kool’s.

Dan McDonald, Down Shift’s spokesperson, criticized the mayor for questioning a group trying to get a read on public opinion.

“Why didn’t the city conduct a poll months ago?” he said. “Sitting back in the cheap seats and lashing out seems to be a growing trend at city hall. Is that leadership?”

Interestingly, the BRT proposal’s railway tunnel — at the heart of both the proposed north corridor, and the backlash against it — drew much more support in the survey than the overall project.

The 900-metre span would run beneath Richmond Row and be open only to buses and emergency vehicles.

About one-quarter of respondents (23 per cent) said they support the tunnel while 68 per cent were opposed.

pmaloney@postmedia.com

About the poll:

The survey was conducted for Down Shift, a group critical of BRT, by Toronto-based Forum Research.

712 randomly-sampled Londoners, screened to ensure they voted in the last civic election, were surveyed by phone May 2.

Results are considered accurate to within 3.67 per cent, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20.

DOWN SHIFT POLL

A group opposed to BRT in London, Down Shift, commissioned a Forum Research opinion poll of 712 residents. It was conducted May 2 and the results, published Tuesday, include the following:

Q: London city council has approved a bus rapid transit system that is projected to cost more than $700 million. If implemented, it will create dedicated bus-only lanes with high-frequency service, restrict cars to one lane each way along major streets, eliminate most of the street parking downtown, reduce regular bus service, and put a bus-only tunnel under Richmond Street. Do you support this BRT project?

SUPPORT: 21%

OPPOSE: 67%

UNDECIDED: 12%

Q: In your opinion has city hall adequately consulted with London residents on the BRT plan?

YES: 14%

NO: 74%

DON’T KNOW: 12%

Q: As a part of the BRT plan, a kilometre-long tunnel must be excavated under Richmond Street from Victoria Park to St. Joseph’s hospital. Only buses and emergency vehicles will be allowed to use the tunnel. Are you in favour of digging the tunnel?

IN FAVOUR: 23%

NOT IN FAVOUR: 68%

DON’T KNOW: 8%

Q: If the city councillor in your ward votes in favour of the BRT plan, would that make you more likely or less likely to vote for that councillor in the next municipal election?

MORE LIKELY: 12%

LESS LIKELY: 69%

DON'T KNOW: 19%

Q: Which of the following options most closely matches your opinion on the BRT project:

BRT SHOULD BE COMPLETELY SCRAPPED: 44%

THE CITY SHOULD SPEND A LOT MORE TIME CONSULTING WITH THE COMMUNITY: 41%

BRT SHOULD MOVE FORWARD AS IS: 9%

Forum Research Inc. - Downshift Report - May 5 2017 by The London Free Press on Scribd