January 28th, 2019

Partial victory on return of the rush hour GO train: NDP

Two-way, all-day GO along the Kitchener Line still needed

QUEEN’S PARK – NDP MPPs from Brampton, Sara Singh (Brampton Centre), Kevin Yarde (Brampton North), Gurratan Singh (Brampton East); Kitchener and Waterloo, Catherine Fife (Waterloo), Laura Mae Lindo (Kitchener Centre) along with NDP Transit Critic Jessica Bell, released the following statement in response to Metrolinx’s announcement of the reintroduction of the 4.50 p.m. express train to Bramalea on the Kitchener GO Line:

“Together with commuters along the Kitchener GO Line, serving Brampton, Guelph, Waterloo and Kitchener, we made it loud and clear to the Ford government that their changes to the GO schedule were dangerous, and hurting commuters.

Their cancellation of the 4:50 p.m. express train, and the removal of carriages from trains that were already packed, threw the line into chaos with dangerous overcrowding and delay after delay. Rather than do the right thing and immediately reverse course, Conservative transportation minister Jeff Yurek dismissed these concerns from us and commuters as a ‘publicity stunt’.

While the reintroduction of the 4:50 p.m. express train is a step in the right direction, it is not a plan for two-way, all-day GO service along the full length of the Kitchener Line.

New Democrats want to thank commuters and advocates who have been working for better transit in the communities served by the Kitchener GO Line.

We will keep fighting side by side with residents until two-way, all-day GO along the full Kitchener Line is in place.”