‘Not an attack on cars’: Langford adopts city’s first official transportation plans

At this week’s meeting, Langford council adopted the City’s first Transportation Master Plan and Active Transportation Plan. 

These plans have been in the works since fall 2024, and now that they have been adopted, will help shape the future of how Langford residents traverse their city. 

Future transportation decisions, guided by these plans, will address concerns about traffic flow, congestion, reducing GHG emissions, supporting safe and accessible travel and providing residents with more ways to get around.

Within the plans, driving remains an important mode of transportation, but a new focus has been placed on encouraging alternative transportation choices to allow residents who walk, roll, cycle or take transit to get where they need to go faster. 

According to the City, public engagement revealed that residents were frustrated by the lack of long-term planning which resulted in congestion, limited options for those who do not drive and concerns about how continued growth will affect mobility in the future. 

The summarized objectives of the plans are as follows:

• Plan growth and transportation together to ensure connection
• Ensure the transportation network is safe and accessible
• Develop a strong transit network that encourages people to use it
• Minimize the network’s climate impact by lowering transportation-related emissions
• Keep people and goods moving efficiently to reduce delays and support local businesses

“We have heard from residents that they want less congestion, safer routes, better connections, improved transit and more transportation choices,” said Scott Goodmanson, Mayor of Langford. 

“This is not an attack on cars. It’s about finding connections and opportunities for those who do not have to drive, or who choose not to for some of their trips, while helping to keep road space available for those who do drive.”

He noted that the new plans are meant to create a transportation network that works for everyone. 

Furthermore, by having these plans in place, new grant funding may be unlocked to make transportation improvements that will not come at as much of a cost to taxpayers. 

Read more on the Transportation Master Plan and Active Transportation Plan via Langford’s website.