The TTC is bursting at the seams with record ridership levels, and traffic congestion is at crisis point. As the largest expansion of rail since the Spadina line, the Union-Pearson link has the potential to significantly improve Toronto’s transit system and alleviate Toronto’s transit woes.
While we welcome the completion of the Union-Pearson train link, we have a number of concerns about the project.
Our concerns include: the rumoured prohibitively high fares to use the service; the lack of consultation with airport workers and residents in the surrounding neighbourhoods; the limited number of stops along the line; and no clear commitment to quickly electrify the line.
Transit users need lower, more affordable fares. Affordable fares make it possible for more people to take public transit, including low income workers and residents who struggle to make ends meet. Metrolinx's rumoured plan to price fares at up to $30 will mean that this service will be very limited. Metrolinx should respond to the needs of transit users and make the fares affordable to all transit users.
Torontonians also need to know when more stations will be introduced into the line. Stations on the UP train line need to be near TTC stops, which would allow Torontonians to easily transfer to and from the TTC to the Union-Pearson train link and ensure this new line is fully integrated into Toronto’s transit system.
The conversion of the train service to electricity should be done as soon as possible because evidence links diesel trains with increases in asthma and cancer rates in nearby communities.
Transit affects all Torontonians, including Toronto’s 1.6 million daily TTC riders. Yet, Metrolinx has not adequately accommodated the concerns of Torontonians. Public consultation is crucial before any decision on fares is made.
In summary, we request the Premier and Metrolinx to:
We have a great opportunity to significantly improve our public transit network by ensuring the Union-Pearson line is an affordable, accessible, integrated, public, and clean train line that can be used by all Torontonians. This line has the potential to become an important component of Toronto’s transit network.
We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Herman Rosenfeld, Co-chair, North West Transit Group TTCriders
John Campey, Executive Director Social Planning Toronto
Kamilla Pietrzyk, Member Greater Toronto Workers Assembly
Sean Smith, Organizer Toronto Airport Council of UnionsRead our letter in support of bus-only lanes and other transit priority measures on Queens Quay East, Parliament Street and Front Street West to ensure thousands of residents along growing waterfront communities and students attending George Brown College have reliable bus service.
(Toronto, Ontario) – Transit and environmental groups across Canada are celebrating a commitment by Liberal leadership candidate Frank Baylis to increase the Canada Public Transit Fund. Federal Liberal Party leadership candidates were surveyed about their transit commitments by Environmental Defence, TTCriders, Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders, Trajectoire Québec, Activate Transit Windsor Essex, and Équiterre.