Crescent Beach is a popular summer spot for Surrey residents, but it sits on the other side of a rail line — so when a freight train breaks down in the area, like one did this weekend, it can cut off access to the beach.
On Saturday, a coal train was stuck on the tracks for hours, sparking concerns about how first responders would access the beach during an emergency.
A Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train sat stalled on the tracks for two hours, leading to long traffic delays.
Surrey mayoral candidate Doug McCallum, who lives in the Crescent Beach area, says such stalls are more than an inconvenience for people heading to and from the beach.
“From my past experience as being mayor of Surrey, this is the ultimate disaster situation,” he said.
With an average of 10,000 people visiting Crescent Beach on a busy weekend, McCallum is worried it’s only a matter of time before a more serious incident occurs.
— With files from Paul Johnson