Milton council is making its case to Metrolinx for two-way, all-day GO service.
During last week’s council meeting, Ward 7 Councillor Rick DiLorenzo put forward a motion to request Metrolinx to identify Milton as part of the ‘next wave’ of transit projects, which would include additional service on the Milton line.
The move would be implemented as part of ‘Regional Express Rail’ (RER), a 2014 Metrolinx initiative that promises more frequent trains in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
“Let’s get Metrolinx at the table to see how we can get investment on that railroad so it’s not the orphan of Metrolinx,” DiLorenzo said during the meeting.
RER is part of the Province’s ‘Big Move’, a $50-billion public transit expansion adopted in 2008 to reduce traffic congestion in the GTHA. Part of the plan was the implementation of two-way, all-day rail service to Milton, slated to be in place within 15 years of the announcement. In the 2012 ‘Big Move Update’, this timeline shifted to a 16-to- 25-year planning horizon.
Anne Marie Aikens, manager of strategic communications for Metrolinx, told the Champion that Canadian Pacific owns Milton’s GO Transit line. Any changes to usage, capacity or scheduling requirements must be negotiated with the rail company, which takes time and resources.
Town CAO Bill Mann told council that ownership issues shouldn’t detract from the need for two-way, all-day GO service, which has been supported through multiple planning, infrastructure and transit programs. This includes the Milton Education Village, projected to accommodate 10,000 to 15,000 people, the Mattamy National Cycling Centre and the Province’s Places to Grow Act, which identifies Milton as an area of population intensification.
“This is a very important report. All of council, staff and the community desires two-way, all-day GO service as soon as possible,” Mann said at the meeting.
The report points to a number of ways Milton Transit has done its part to enhance connections with GO Transit, including the GO Connect Drop-Off service, which picks people up and drops them off from the GO Station to one of three zones in Milton west, central and east. There’s also a pilot project recently approved, which makes it possible for Milton Transit users to travel from the GO station to their front doors using an online booking tool.
“We’re slowly making headway. It’s just been a very slow process,” said Mayor Gord Krantz at the council meeting.
The Town is seeking support for two-way, all-day GO service from surrounding municipalities as well as Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt, in hopes of strengthening its position.
Aikens told The Champion that the Provincial investment of $29 billion into RER still has to be allocated. She said other projects must be considered, including infrastructure improvements in Whitby, double tracking in Barrie and electrification of rail lines.
Local and Regional Councillor Colin Best told council that if two-way, all-day GO service isn’t in the cards for Milton, express trains or new GO stations are options that need to be explored.
“There is not just one answer to transit,” he added.
The Milton GO Transit line is one of seven commuter rail lines operated by GO Transit. Every weekday, it accommodates roughly 30,000 people. Currently, there are nine morning and afternoon GO Train trips that travel from Milton to Union Station and vice versa.
Rachael can be reached at rwilliams@miltoncanadianchampion.com or on Twitter @MiltonReports.
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