Protesters Rally Against Diesel Trains Outside Metrolinx Board Meeting
Posted January 26, 2011 9:47 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Protesters gathered outside a downtown YMCA on Wednesday to rally against a temporary plan to use diesel trains on a new airport link.
Metrolinx, the transit body that will operate the Air Rail Link (ARL), is holding its board meeting there.
Despite the demonstration, the board of directors approved the staff recommendation to begin electrification of the Lakeshore and Georgetown GO Transit rail corridors. The Ontario government still has to approve the plan, and has already committed to an environmental assessment.
Metrolinx plans to use diesel trains on the ARL, arguing that only diesel – and not electric – trains can be built in time fore the 2015 Pan-Am Games. However, the Clean Train Coalition argues electric trains are cleaner, quieter and less expensive in the long run, and can also connect with more TTC routes.
Eventually, the line will become electric. The McGuinty government announced Wednesday that it would conduct its own environmental assessment of the plan to electrify the ARL. The government claims the ARL will take 1.2 million car trips off our roads in its first year of operation alone.
“This is great news for the residents in my community living along the Georgetown corridor. I am pleased our government has made this section of the corridor a priority by committing to an EA for an electrified Air Rail Link,” Laura Albanese, York South-Weston MPP, said in a press release.
The line will run from Pearson Airport to Union Station. Metrolinx already owns the corridor and will operate it as a distinct service from GO Transit.
The regional transportation authority is calling on the province to spend nearly $2 billion to electrify GO Transit’s busiest rail lines and the ARL is included in that plan.
