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november 22 2013 www.newwestnewsleader.com
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City utility rates to rise 6.5% Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
Grant GranGer/newsLeader
david brett of the Queen’s park residents association says his group has written to bC transportation Minister todd stone to request royal avenue be removed as a truck route.
Get trucks off Royal Avenue: QPRA Residents asking province to ban heavy vehicles on route Grant Granger
ggranger@newwestnewsleader.com
The Queen’s Park Residents’ Association (QPRA) is so rattled by Royal Avenue truck traffic it’s joined the city in asking Minister of Transportation Todd Stone to ban it completely. Currently trucks aren’t allowed on Royal at night, but ever since
the new Port Mann Bridge started traffic on Royal has been so charging tolls, truck traffic coming dramatic, and nobody seems to on and off the know why. There Pattullo Bridge on are definitely Royal has become increases on the too much for the Pattullo Bridge david brett people do accept there’s area, the QPRA and McBride and states in a letter sent always been trucks on royal, other areas, but the but... this spike has really to Stone this week. percentage increase alarmed people... “We’ve never on Royal has been written a letter like incredible, and the this before,” said QPRA president impact, because there are so many David Brett. “What’s really strange homes that are close to Royal, about this is the increase in truck people are being driven crazy by it.”
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The letter cites a survey city did showing “an astonishing 63 per cent” spike in trucks using Royal. “Residents are absolutely convinced, on the face of the statistical evidence and their own bitter experiences, that the truck traffic malaise that has befallen them has been directly caused by the shifting of truck traffic through our community following the tolling of the Port Mann Bridge,” the letter states.
New Westminster residents can expect their utility bills to balloon by 6.5 per cent in 2014. On Monday, Council approved in principle next year’s budgets for its electrical, water, sewer and garbage collection/recycling utilities. The average bill for a single family household is expected to jump from $2,250 in 2013 to nearly $2,400 in 2014. Coun. Bill Harper said New Westminster is at the mercy of suppliers such as BC Hydro and Metro Vancouver in determining how much to charge. He pointed out some of the rates had to be increased by 12 per cent in recent years. “Where is this all going to end for the taxpayer? We try to keep our taxes as low as possible. How much is New Westminster contributing to the increase, two to three per cent?” said Harper.
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