BACCC asked all municipal candidates for their views on environmentally-friendly transportation options, presenting them with these three questions. Views expressed are solely those of the candidates and do not reflect the views of BACCC or its members. All responses have been reviewed to ensure appropriateness and relevance to the questions posed. We encourage you to make an informed decision by researching your local candidates.
Hamilton Mayoral Candidate Hermiz Ishaya
From the recommendations in BACCC’s Options for Travel report, which would be your top priority to enact to ensure safe, reliable, convenient and equitable transportation options?
We have to have affordable and convenient ways to move around the city. Restructuring the public transit system is a big goal of mine. I want people to find it viable to take a bus to work or ride a bike to school. Creating new paths and trails for bike riders will encourage people to use this very affordable and easy way of transportation. Hiring more people in public transit will decrease wait time and increase number of people in a bus. These solutions will keep our roads less busy and ensure public safety.
If environmentally friendly transportation options are not convenient, residents will be less likely to choose those options over driving.
What steps would you take to ensure environmentally friendly transportation options are convenient?
We can make these environmentally friendly transportation options more convenient by decreasing wait time, increasing comfortably and stabilizing the costs. Hiring more bus drivers for example will increase the number of busses which will decrease the number of people driving because it will make public transport faster and more viable. Stabilizing the cost of public transport will also encourage people to take a bus instead of driving.
Environmentally friendly transportation needs to be perceived as safe in order to be viewed as a viable option.
What steps would you take to ensure all users feel safe when using all transportation methods?
When increasing the number of busses, it will decrease the number of vehicles on our roads, this will decrease the number of accidents and will ensure public safety. Creating new trails for bike owners will decrease bike riders on main roads and decrease the safety hazard of being struck by vehicles on a busy road. Having affordable and viable options for Hamiltonians is what encourages me to work very hard on my campaign and should encourage every Hamiltonian to share my ideas and use these safe transportation methods.
