Ward 2 Hamilton City Councillor Jason Farr says Metrolinx should resume full bus service on its Route 16 QEW Express route.
Farr is moving a motion at Hamilton City Council’s Public Works Committee next week to have Council formally call on Metrolinx to resume full service on the route, which was suspended (with the exception of one very late night trip from Hamilton to Toronto Union Station) due to COVID.
Hamilton City Council significantly cut back local transit service offered by the Hamilton Street Railway, and continues to offer drastically reduced HSR service at modified summer service levels. The provincial and federal government have provided Hamilton City Council with $17,211,723 in Phase I funding. Council has no plans to reverse service reductions on the HSR.
Presently, GO Transit is offering four trains out of Hamilton during the weekday morning peak period, and four train trips to Hamilton from Toronto Union Station.
During the remainder of the day, and on weekends, Metrolinx’s runs a hourly bus service from the Hunter Street GO Station to Aldershot GO to connect with the Lakeshore West train.
In his motion, Farr claims that the bus link is problematic for persons with mobility difficulties. Farr writes “accessibility is a troubling issue for passengers that can only be accommodated on the much smaller footprint lower-level of the bus (the more spacious upper level is inaccessible to many passengers who are disabled, elderly or wanting to keep a close eye on luggage that can only be stored on the lower level)”
Metrolinx uses the same double-decker buses for the QEW bus service.
Farr states Metrolinx should provide a full resumption at the “at the service level observed prior to April 8, 2020”.
He has made no statements to resume HSR service at the levels prior to Council’s cuts in March.
Production Details v. 1.0.0 First published: October 14, 2020 Last edited: October 14, 2020 Author: Joey Coleman Edit Record v. 1.0.0 original version