Anton takes aim at Vancouver bike lanes

Vancouver mayoral candidate Suzanne Anton is promising to halt the construction of new bike lanes if she wins the upcoming election.

Anton said today if she is elected she would put a moratorium on new, separated bike lanes in downtown Vancouver. She also said she would review the existing ones to address the complaints of motorists and businesses.

"We need to hit the pause button on these controversial trials, re-engage neighbourhoods and businesses and regain the community consensus we enjoyed before Vision Vancouver mishandled things so badly," she said.

"What we can’t fix, we will take out," said Anton, who is running for the NPA.

Anton's rival Mayor Gregor Robertson oversaw the construction of the separated bike lanes in downtown Vancouver, but they proved to be controversial because of the impact on local business and traffic patterns. 

City officials say bike traffic in the lanes has grown steadily and studies show the impact on traffic and business has been moderate. But Anton says they have created animosity.

"Gregor Robertson has destroyed that goodwill by imposing new separated lanes downtown," said Anton.

"Vancouver NPA Mayors and City Councils have created hundreds of kilometres of bike lanes across Vancouver over the past two decades without any neighbourhood turmoil," said Anton