Streetcars: Never! Maybe! Definitely!
Posted on January 6th, 2012 – 1 CommentSeptember 2010: Rob Ford vows to get rid of Toronto’s streetcars in favour of more cars on the road.
October 2010: Rob Ford says maybe he won’t get rid of the streetcars after all.
January 2012: Rob Ford wants to use budget surplus to buy new streetcars.
It’s interesting to point out that Ford’s contention was never the cost of streetcars, which would’ve been the one good reason for him to flip-flop like this (“we can do it now that we’ve magically found more money in the budget!”). Instead, it was an ideological stand against public transit and bicycles in favour of cars.
I’m glad that the mayor is reneging — this city needs way more reliable (and affordable!) transit, not cars on the road; more wheels on the pavement doesn’t solve Toronto’s gridlock, after all. But I can’t help but wonder how his supporters must be feeling watching him slowly chip away at pretty much every pledge and campaign promise he made. I wouldn’t be too pleased about it if I’d voted for him, that’s for sure.
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