A rally that was scheduled Friday in Cobourg, Ont., to show support for the return of Via Rail commuter train service from Toronto to Kingston has been postponed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The “Via Day of Action” was to be held Friday afternoon at the Via station in Cobourg, urging the company to restore Train 651 which served the Toronto to Kingston corridor. The route — which picked up commuters in Cobourg around 7 a.m. on weekdays — was suspended during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic due to a drop in ridership.
Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini and MP Philip Lawrence were among politicians promoting the “day of action” to show that “safe, reliable, and affordable transit” is an absolute necessity for their constituents.
However, on Thursday evening they announced the event will be held at a later date out of respect for the queen’s death.
“It has been amazing to witness the community’s support for this event,” Piccini said. “I can’t wait to get together at a later date.”
The rally would have come as the results of a new survey were released Thursday by a partnership of municipalities in Eastern Ontario that includes the counties of Northumberland and Hastings, and the cities of Quinte West, Belleville and Kingston.
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Dubbed “The Case for Getting VIA Train 651 Back on Track,” the report highlights the importance of commuter access for eastern Ontario residents and notes as of June nearly all other train routes that were suspended have been reinstated
The report notes an online survey from July 7-Aug. 5 garnered 2,811 responses, with 96 per cent of former riders saying they would return to the service, Another 31 per cent of respondents identified themselves as a new user who would utilize Train 651.
The partnership says it has forwarded the report to federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra and to VIA Rail Canada.
Bob Sanderson, mayor of Port Hope, a Northumberland County councillor and chairperson of the economic development, planning and planning and tourism committee, said the report “clearly supports the case” for a return of Train 651.
“Eastern Ontario riders need this train to get to work, to get to school for education and training, and to seek needed medical treatments,” Sanderson said.
“We are calling upon VIA Rail Canada to welcome riders back to Train 651.”
Other highlights in the report say prior to the pandemic, among respondents:
- 52 per cent of respondents used Train 651
- 66 per cent of respondents accessed the service for work
- 14 per cent of respondents accessed the service for education or medical purposes
- 76 per cent of respondents used the service one or more times per week
- 22 per cent of respondents used the service daily.
Via Rail has stated it continues to review a dozen routes that didn’t return in June, including Train 651.
“Our objective has always been the safe resumption of services when conditions allowed it and we are pleased to offer our passengers more options this summer with the return of most of our services across the country by the end of June 2022,” the company stated this sumer.
“VIA Rail is constantly evaluating its services, and after two years of pandemic we are looking at the impact of the changes in travel habits on our operations, for example, the new work from home reality.”
Sanderson says the report also highlights that ridership should increase and notes the suspension of service is “creating a hardship” for many commuters who travel to work given the rising cost of fuel for vehicles.
“The data suggests that if VIA Train 651 returns, ridership levels will be stronger than pre-pandemic use,” he said.
“The labour force in Eastern Ontario is stronger than pre-pandemic levels and our population is growing at a faster rate than the rest of the province. Our workforce needs this rail service as an alternative to costly vehicle use and residents want to make a responsible choice when it comes to the environment.”
“Eastern Ontario needs fast, reliable and sustainable transportation options,” he added.
“We need to get our thriving labour force to work, students and adults to school to acquire in-demand skills and retraining, and the service is also needed by residents to get to much needed medical treatments. It is time to get Train 651 back on track.”
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