Surrey students call for public consultation on the city’s cycling plan

South Surrey student Sophie Choong and her high school friends Felix Bubbar and Louis Wight launched the Surrey Shared Streets Alliance campaign in September 2026. They are asking the City of Surrey to revisit its long-term cycling plans, saying disconnected routes can make it difficult to get around without a car. Choong, a third-year student at Boston University, said the campaign began with conversations about how difficult it was to travel around Surrey by bike or on foot because existing paths are disconnected or end unexpectedly.

The campaign focuses on Surrey’s Long-Term Cycling Vision, which Surrey city council endorsed in January 2026. Choong said the plan is intended to guide future cycling infrastructure investment and identifies a city-wide network of 353 kilometres of routes, including protected cycling facilities, painted bike lanes and local bikeways. She said the network does not always connect destinations directly. Cyclists and pedestrians may have to take an entire trail or make a significant detour, adding time to trips compared with driving or taking transit.

The group wants the city to revisit the plan through public consultation. Choong said the group appreciates Surrey’s efforts to prioritize and encourage biking, walking and safety, but does not consider the plan sufficient to improve cyclists’ and pedestrians’ quality of life or safety. She said Surrey’s population is growing rapidly and will eventually be larger than Vancouver’s, making it increasingly difficult to rely on cars as the main way to get around. She pointed to walking and cycling networks elsewhere in Metro Vancouver as examples of better-connected communities and said roads cannot keep being widened to accommodate more cars.

Choong said encouraging residents to walk or bike for some trips can benefit physical health, reduce traffic and bring more foot traffic to local businesses. She said sidewalks and better cycling infrastructure are major improvements for everyone in a community. As of Oct. 5, the campaign’s petition had collected 229 signatures. The group has also been contacting candidates in the Oct. 17 municipal election, hoping the next council will make the issue a priority. It is seeking more accounts from Surrey residents who have had difficulty walking or biking around the city.

The petition argues that Surrey’s cycling routes should be more protected, connected and direct, particularly for children, seniors and people who use mobility devices. Choong said the group has researched cycling-infrastructure studies and statistics to support its campaign and wants residents to share their own experiences. She said a city serving a large population must also support people who want to walk or bike to school, seniors without cars and anyone seeking other ways to travel. The group hopes to draw more attention to the issue ahead of the election, especially among council candidates who approved the plan and are seeking re-election. More information is available at tinyurl.com/BikeSurrey2026.