Transport 2000 Canada Hot Line

30 June 2001

This is the Transport 2000 Canada Hotline, recorded on 30 June 2001, our 25th anniversary year, David Leibold reporting.

Summer time and changes to the usual Hotline schedule have mean there have been fewer Hotlines recently. However, we do have a Hotline for this Canada Day weekend.

In this issue...

1 - Québec rail group founder dies

The founder of the Coalition to Maintain and Use Actively the Rail (CMUAR) and after a while, the TRAQ Group died 23rd June. Richard Couture had been ill for the past fifteen months, but was able to participate during May's Québec City tour, associated with the TRAQ Colloquium and Transport 2000 Canada Annual Meeting.

Richard Couture leaves his wife Claire and two young sons. He was only 38. Transport 2000 expresses its sincere condolences.

2 - No more B.C. Photo radar

The new British Columbia government cancelled the province's photo radar programme on 27th June, acting on an election campaign promise to eliminate this speed enforcement measure.

3 - BC Transit strike update

Most bus service continues to be nonexistent in Vancouver area, as a transit strike with Coast Mountain Bus Company drags on.

Hundreds of citizens protested at Vancouver City Hall on 26 June, forcing the Mayor and some fellow councillors into retreat. The crowd was upset at not being able to address City Council regarding the transit strike, which in terms of length could become a Canadian record-breaker.

Thia Walter one of the leading protesters of this strike. She is one of several residents camping outside City Hall while the bus strike continues.

4 - More Smog, Less Health

Last week, the Ontario Medical Association reported that the air quality is dirtier than ever, making pollution-related health dangers worse. Air quality indicators suggest this year could be a record breaking year for poor air quality in southern Ontario.

Hamilton, Ontario alone has received nine days worth of smog advisories so far this year. Despite the added pollution from growth in road vehicle traffic, the provincial government is pressing ahead with plans for a new superhighway between Hamilton and the Niagara Region, to parallel the QEW. Meanwhile, passenger transport services in that area are inadequate, including the minimal levels of VIA/Amtrak service.

5 - Laidlaw update

Laidlaw, parent company of Greyhound, and some of its divisions, have filed to restructure its operations under U.S. Chapter 11 and the Canada Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act.

The announcement did indicate that operating companies would continue to operate normally in the meantime. Greyhound Lines itself is not part of the Laidlaw restructuring actions and the bus network will continues with business as usual.

6 - New Nav Canada Northern Radar

Nav Canada opened a radar facility in Yellowknife 20th June, to handle growing traffic in Canada's North. This facility could play a key role in handling polar air routes in the future.

7 - VIA shows off new Silver and Blue

VIA is working towards implementing its redesigned Silver and Blue transcontinental services. The new car designs were scheduled to be shown at a press conference in Vancouver, 26 June at Pacific Central Station.

8 - New Ferry to Newfoundland

Marine Atlantic's newest passenger ferry, the MV Leif Ericson, arrived in North Sydney from Europe on 23rd May and began her maiden voyage to Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland with 100 cars and 200 passengers at midnight on 2nd June. Built in Fosen, Norway in 1991 she operated in Scandinavia as the Stena Challenger during the '90s.

The vessel joins the Caribou and Smallwood in passenger service on the Nova Scotia - Newfoundland route as well as the Atlantic Freighter for trucks. The new vessel increases Marine Atlantic's carrying capacity by over 25% and will cruise at 18 knots on the 6 hour crossing of Cabot Strait.

The new vessel will fill Transport 2000 Atlantic's recommendation to the Newfoundland government's recent ferry study by allowing night crossings both ways on most nights year-round, connecting with bus service in both provinces and allowing auto travellers and truckers a good night's rest and daylight highway driving.

More information can be found at: www.marine-atlantic.ca.

9 - Toronto Business group calls for massive train investment

Late news this week are reports that the Toronto Board of Trade is calling for $14 billion of passenger rail projects in the Greater Toronto Area over the next 20 years, to be built as public/private partnerships.

A proposed commuter rail system would reach Kitchener, Niagara Falls and Barrie, while an LRT network is envisioned between Oakville and Pickering.

But regional transit officials are skeptical about the ability of public-private partnerships to deliver the needed transit benefits.

Thank you for calling the Transport 2000 Canada Hotline. Thanks also to Louis-François Garceau and John Pearce for additional material this issue.

For additional information, please contact our web site at:

www.transport2000.ca.