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TransLink speeds up order for new SkyTrain cars

An additional 28 cars will come by 2019
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Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson listen as TransLink vice-president of planning and policy Geoff Cross presents a plan for more SkyTrain cars. (Katya Slepian/Black Press)

The Expo and Millenium SkyTrain lines could get 28 new cars within the next two years.

The decision was made at a regional mayors’ council meeting on Thursday because of what TransLink vice-president of planning and policy Geoff Cross called faster than usual ridership growth.

TransLink recorded 5.7 per cent more passengers over the first six months of 2017, compared to the same period in 2016.

RELATED: TransLink sees 5.7 per cent ridership increase

These cars will be on top of the 28 cars already slated to come by 2019.

“[We would] accelerate the purchase of 28 additional SkyTrain cars for Expo and Millenium Lines that were scheduled for later in the plan,” said Cross. “We would be accelerating those into 2018 or 2019.”

In exchange, some projects, including upgrades to Burrard Station, will be moved out of phase one. Cross said there was a risk that those upgrades might not be done by the end of phase one in 2019.