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| Transport Action covers TransLink, AMT, Metrolinx and more. |
Vancouver airport link, 17% of the travel market
"The Canada Line is attracting 17% of the travel market to and from Vancouver International Airport (YVR), well in excess of the 9% share projected in 2003. Weekday Canada Line ridership is 125,000. January to October revenue ridership across the transit system was up 5% in 2011 from the same period in 2010," Transport Action BC reported.
Transport 2000 Québec, Le projet de train de l'est
« Le projet du train de l'est est en partie retiré d'entre les mains de l'Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT) par le gouvernement du Québec. Ce dernier désapprouve fortement la gestion qu'en a faite l'organisme gouvernemental jusqu'à aujourd'hui » Sarah Bélisle a écrit pour l'Agence QMI le 12 janvier.
« Plusieurs ont poussé un soupir de soulagement à cette annonce. L'organisme Transport 2000 s'est réjoui pour sa part qu'«enfin une direction claire et réaliste pour ce projet de transport en commun d'envergure métropolitaine» soit instaurée. «Ce qui inquiète maintenant, c'est de voir que l'Agence se retrouve en quasi tutelle alors qu'elle devait à l'origine jouer un rôle-clé dans l'organisation du transport métropolitain», a précisé Normand Parisien, directeur de l'organisation » QMI a rapporté. http://is.gd/QTVruD
The Gazette reports this morning that Joël Gauthier has resigned. http://is.gd/OenpU9 Yesterday, Bruno Bisson in La Presse speculated obliquely that Joël Gauthier's future was in doubt (the piece also gives a lot of details on all other aspects of the story).
«[La présidente du Conseil du Trésor, Michelle] Courchesne a refusé de dire quel sort attend le président de l'Agence, Joël Gauthier, dont le mandat vient tout juste d'arriver à terme, et dont la direction est de plus en plus contestée par une grande partie du monde municipal et par les transporteurs publics. «Le gouvernement va prendre les décisions qui s'imposent, a dit la ministre. C'est tout ce que je peux vous dire dans l'immédiate.» Bruno Bisson a rapporté pour La Presse. http://is.gd/GnZ5Rm
Friends say don't knock Saskatchewan bus service
In a letter to the Leader-Post Pauline Ferland responded to a commentary calling for the overhauls of the Saskatchewan Transportation Corporation.
"(The writer) claims that the ridership of STC has declined. It has, in fact, increased by 3.8 per cent in 2010. For 2011, I quote the STC website. "Total ridership for the first three quarters of 2011 was 218,004 compared to 195,341 in the same period of 2011. That is an increase of approximately 11.6 per cent. This reflects STC's improvement with regard to advertising and promotion of the company's image, programs and services, and also reflects enhanced on-board amenities and security."
"This increase is also due to the excellent management such as the seat-sale promotions for youth and seniors. Although some routes might be underused by passengers, the parcel-post and freight services for these routes make them just as economically viable. Without these dependable services, countless businesses would suffer, also blood and courier services. The oil, gas and mining sectors depend on bus freight to communities" Pauline Ferland wrote to the Leader-Post on Jan. 9, 2012. Ferland is a member of the Friends of the STC which was established by Transport Action Prairie on May 8, 2011. http://is.gd/JAQmHn
Transport Action supports Acadian Lines and Amalgamated Transit Union
"Groupe Orleans Express, the parent company of Acadian Lines, and the Amalgamated Transit Union are seeking a meeting with the New Brunswick government to end the five-week lockout. ... Groupe Orleans Express and the union both want to discuss the potential for the New Brunswick government to introduce provincial subsidies to help the company," CBC News on Jan. 10, 2012.
Group Orleans Express said the company does not have to pay provincial diesel tax in Quebec, a move that knocks almost 18 cents a litre off the company's fuel costs in that province. John Pearce, a past president of the Transport Action Atlantic lobby group, wants to see the New Brunswick government do the same. "The company pays no gas tax. It's a way of subsidizing. But it's really that they're not taxing a service that is important to the public,” Pearce said.
Pearce said the proposed subsidy does not amount to a lot of money. "The subsidy would be less than a million a year, and compared to the highways budget, it's a drop in the bucket,” he said. "The highways’ budget would be 500 times this, so it doesn't seem as though there is a problem — a small subsidy, you know, very small compared to the road budget.” http://is.gd/65jzcW
SkyTrain faregates construction
"Construction works are underway at most SkyTrain stations to allow the installation of faregates, supporting the introduction of the Compass Card smartcard, to be introduced in early 2013. SkyTrain has operated on the proof-of-payment model since opening in 1986," Transport Action BC reported on Jan. 11.
Cafouillages autour du train de l’est
Le 12 janvier l’association Transport 2000 Québec accueille avec grand soulagement les dernières précisions que le Gouvernement apporte quant à la nature et à l’échéancier du train de l’est, annoncé en grande pompe en mars 2006. Ce faisant, l’Association égratigne la haute direction de l’Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT) qui, manifestement, faisait désormais cavalier seul dans ce dossier. On l’aura noté au terme d’une rencontre à l’Agence en octobre dernier.
La dernière mouture du projet était à des années-lumière d’une proposition que Transport 2000 avait présentée au ministère des Transports et à la présidente du Conseil du trésor d’alors, madame Monique Jérôme-Forget (qui était aussi ministre responsable de la région de Montréal (début 2004), une position qui fut rappelée à la ministre Julie Boulet en 2008, laquelle fut pourtant sympathique aux revendications de Transport 2000 à ce moment-là tout comme pour le projet SRB Pie-IX à Montréal. Ce qui inquiète l’organisme maintenant, c’est de voir que l’Agence se retrouve en quasi tutelle alors qu’elle devait à l’origine jouer un rôle-clé dans l’organisation du transport métropolitain. La direction de Transport 2000 a pu constater entre-temps à quel point l’explosion des coûts n’était pas attribuable uniquement au tronçon Repentigny-Mascouche mais aussi au segment Montréal-Repentigny.
Alternatives, UBC Line and Surrey corridors
"Alternatives analyses to identify preferred alternatives to extend rapid transit in the UBC Line and Surrey corridors have been underway since 2009 and are expected to be completed in 2013. Various combinations of BRT, LRT and SkyTrain are under active consideration," Transport Action BC reported.
CAPT petitions for better passenger rail service in Northern Ontario
"Northern Ontario's passenger rail service is like Swiss cheese, says Linda Savory-Gordon, a professor at Algoma University. It's full of holes, with various lines across the region, but few connections between them," the Sudbury Star reported.
"Savory-Gordon is a member of a coalition that's trying to change that. The Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains posted a petition online about a month ago calling for the reinstatement of passenger rail between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury," the Sudbury Star reported. Transport Action urges supporters to sign the petition! http://is.gd/uPG1NL
Côte-Nord : cure de jouvence pour l'entreprise ferroviaire Tshiuetin
« La compagnie de transport ferroviaire Tshiuetin de Sept-Îles veut investir 75 millions de dollars sur 10 ans, dont 50 millions de dollars d'ici 4 ans, pour la réfection de son chemin de fer. L'entreprise détenue par les autochtones de Sept-Îles Maliotenam, Schefferville et Kawawachikamach veut tirer profit du boom minier. Elle demande toutefois à Québec de collaborer sa part dans le cadre du Plan Nord » SRC a rapporté le 5 janvier 2012.
Depuis sa création en 2005, Tshiuetin se consacre au transport de passagers, mais l'entreprise a acheminé un premier convoi de minerai de fer de Schefferville jusqu'à Sept-Îles en juin dernier. http://is.gd/gyI78u
TransLink gondola, 38,000 riders per day
"TransLink released a business case on 11 January 2012 for a 2.7 km high-capacity 3S-type gondola to link Production Way-University SkyTrain station to the main campus of Simon Fraser University, 300 m higher. The $114 million project would cut travel times by half and improve service reliability in winter weather while greatly reducing environmental emissions and noise. Ridership would be up to 38,000/day in 2021. However, the project is not yet part of a funded plan," Transport Action BC reported on Jan. 11, 2012. http://is.gd/kt4asX
Steve Munro, Rebuilding A Transit City
"The waning fortunes of the Ford regime and its defeat on planning for the eastern waterfront have emboldened many to focus on the resurrection of the Transit City LRT plan. Advocates despaired as the newly-minted Mayor Ford so unceremoniously and undemocratically cancelled the plan. We watched as Queen’s Park, terrified of a “Ford Nation” juggernaut decimating Liberal ranks in the 2011 election, caved in with a “Memorandum of Understanding” completely undoing the principles of their own “Big Move” transit scheme," Steve Munro reported on Jan. 8, 2012
"Now we’re in 2012, rumour has the Liberals wanting a return to the original plan, but fearing a unilateral move without a request from Toronto Council. Oddly enough, the absence of any Council approval for Ford’s actions, a requirement of the MOU, is never mentioned. The economics of the all-underground Eglinton “LRT” and the private sector Sheppard subway don’t look encouraging, and Queen’s Park faces widespread constraint in public sector spending. This is hardly the time to be blowing billions to gold plate projects, to cover them with “gravy” that would invite ridicule in other circumstances," Steve Munro reported. The complete (exellent) post is at http://stevemunro.ca/?p=5896
Maritime bus passengers, No help from Ottawa
"The federal government has rejected a call to get involved in a labour dispute that has stopped intercity bus service in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island for more than a month. In an email, Labour Minister Lisa Raitt said she's disappointed the two sides in the dispute at Acadian Coach Lines have been unable to reach an agreement," CBC News reported on Jan. 11.
"Glen Carr of the Amalgamated Transit Union said Maritimers are being denied an important service and Raitt should intervene. "It didn't take her long to step into the Air Canada or the Post Office [disputes], and the public's wants and needs need to be serviced," he said Tuesday," CBC News reported. http://is.gd/cad8jb
Kitchener-Waterloo, More LRT Meetings, and Why It’s Important To Go
On Jan. 10 Tim Mollison reported "It’s that time again: the Rapid Transit team has sent out notices of the Transit Project Assessment meetings to be held on January 24, 25, and 26:
24th Jan, 3-8pm: First United Church, King and William, Waterloo
25th Jan, 3-8pm: Region of Waterloo Headquarters, 150 Frederick, Kitchener
26th Jan, 3-8pm: United Kingdom Club, 35 International Village Drive, Cambridge
"Speculation aside about whether or not there will be cookies, these meetings are important because they discuss what impacts LRT construction/operation will have on the environment. With parts of the LRT route being near floodplains, being next to or on top of the Laurel Creek tunnel through Uptown Waterloo, and running through some parkland, it will be very important for the Region to explain to the public how environmental impacts of the project are to be mitigated and how an incident of provincial significance can be avoided (the
Laurel Creek runs into the Grand River, and that’s where Brantford gets its drinking water from), and how any contract for construction and/or operation will ensure high quality transport for the citizens of Waterloo Region while taking the health and well-being of our neighbours downstream into account," Tim Mollison wrote for the Tri-Cities Transport Action Group this week. http://is.gd/ha1Nyr
British government approves London -Birmingham high-speed line
International Railway Journal, Jan. 11, 2012
http://is.gd/uATvMq
Saudi Arabia set to award final phase of Al Haramain high-speed rail project
http://is.gd/O0qrpe
High-speed line to Bursa to open by 2015
RAILWAY GAZETTE INTERNATIONAL, JANUARY 5, 2012
http://is.gd/IBrn1r
Trails, tribulations and tunnels: Decision time for HS2
RAILWAY TECHNOLOGY, DECEMBER 15, 2011
http://is.gd/UbTdwT
Full steam ahead Asia
RAILWAY TECHNOLOGY, DECEMBER 9, 2011
http://is.gd/7gXPp7
High-speed rail shouldn't be funded, report says
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, JANUARY 4, 2012
Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau
http://is.gd/XNSNbk
Transport Action Canada
Hotline 1148, Jan. 13, 2012
(formerly Transport 2000 / anciennement Transport 2000 Canada)
info@transport-action.ca
(613) 594-3290
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/TransportAction
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http://www.transport-action.ca
Calendar
28 et 29 mars 2012, Québec. TRAQ, Le Colloque ferroviaire annuel du Québec http://www.groupe-traq.com/
les 26 et 27 avril, Granby, Le Colloque 2012 de l'Association des Transports collectifs ruraux du Québec (ATCRQ) se tiendra à Hôtel Spa et Confort à Granby, Québec http://www.atcrq.ca