11 May 2010

Council Calls for More West Coast Express Trains

Maple Ridge British Columbia - Maple Ridge and other municipalities along the CP Railway line are using the fading afterglow of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games by calling for a study on expansion of the West Coast Express commuter rail service.
 
"I think it's important to strike while the iron's hot," Mayor Ernie Daykin said Monday. He wanted to build on the success during the Olympics when the train service ran middays and weekends between Mission and Vancouver.
 
Currently, only five trains run, weekdays only, into Vancouver, then return at night.
 
Council approved a resolution calling for TransLink to do a feasibility study on expansion. Port Moody, Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, and Pitt Meadows are expected to join in to bolster the request.
 
Administrator Jim Rule said the goal is to just get TransLink to study the feasibility of expanding train service to get the expansion into TransLink's five-year plan. Expansion of other service could be discussed later.
 
TransLink is also doing an area transit plan for 2012.
 
Coun. Linda King said it was important to keep the resolution simple so all cities could support it.
 
"I really see this as an inter-city initiative." That approached worked when the mayors united in calling for the start of the service, she pointed out.
 
The first time mayors rallied for commuter rail was in 1989. The West Coast Express didn't begin until 1995. Since then, ridership has grown to the point that fare revenue pays for 90 percent of the costs to run the service.
 
Daykin discussed the resolution last week in Port Moody with Mayor Joe Trasolini. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart, and Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore were also there.
 
TransLink has said previously that expansion of the service is not in its current budget plans. And any additions to the schedule also would require new track time from CP Rail, which owns the line. CP made special arrangements to free up track time during the Olympics, but said that was a one-time deal only.
 
Daykin pointed out the service will be expanded in September, when seven new cars arrive. Those will be added on to the existing trains, resulting in a 20 percent growth in capacity.
 
"We've got the new cars coming in September and that the equivalent of darn near another train," Daykin said earlier.
 
Phil Melnychuk