Category Archives for "Events"

Oct 30

Power of Rail Symposium at Western University

By Transport Action Ontario | Events , Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News

The Southwestern Ontario Transportation Alliance (SWOTA) and Transport Action Ontario (TAO) hosted a symposium on Oct. 12, 2016, promoting better passenger rail service for Western students and faculty. Our special guest was NDP MP Irene Mathyssen. TAO Director Scott St. John introduced SWOTA President Terence Johnson, who discussed the need for an urgent High Performance Rail solution to address the growing infrastructure and mobility gap in Southwestern Ontario. Debunking the myth that Ontario lacks the population density to support a reasonable level of core services, Johnson drew a parallel between London, Ontario and Crianlarich, a village of 185 people in the Highlands of Scotland, which has more frequent and less expensive services to Glasgow than London does to Toronto. 

Drawing upon examples from across the United States to illustrate the comparatively low cost and rapid implementation schedule of High Performance Rail, and the benefits of service integration between train and bus, Johnson set the stage for TAO Acting President Tony Turritin to give a more detailed description of the Network Southwest vision for restoring mobility to the region.

 

Irene Mathyssen, MP for London-Fanshawe, expressed her support for “Network Southwest” and making London a regional hub for Southwestern Ontario. She is working to draft a new version of the “VIA Rail Canada Act,” originally introduced by MP Phil Toone, that would empower VIA’s mandate in relationships with government and the freight railroads.

 

As Tony Turrittin explained, examples of High Performance Rail are close at hand.  In the United States, Amtrak operates fast and very frequent trains between New-York and Albany (227km), Chicago-Milwaukee (137km), Los Angeles-San Diego (205km), and Oakland-Sacramento (144km).  As VIA Rail has withdrawn service in Southwestern Ontario over the last two decades, cities such as Stratford, Kitchener, Guelph and Niagara Falls have put out a cry for help to the Province asking that GO trains be extended to their cities.

 

GO service is highly popular because it is mass transit: frequent, high capacity so reserved seating is not necessary, pairs of wide doors for quick boarding, reliable sechedules, and low fares — all the things that VIA Rail isn’t, Turrittin pointed out.  VIA’s schedules don’t comprise a workable network, on-time performance is very poor, seating is limited, and fares extremely high.  But VIA is an express service which GO is not in its present commuter rail form.  He proposed melding the best of what VIA is supposed to do with GO’s mass transit model.

 

Turrittin closed his presentation by calling on the Province to step into the intercity rail vacuum left by VIA Rail with the GO-train mass transit model.  This is an opportunity.  A new delivery agency is needed with the participation of the region’s municipalities.  The federal government can help by passing on its regional VIA subsidy to the new operating agency.  Some track upgrades are required.  There will be major economic and social benefits flowing from quality intercity express rail in Southwestern Ontario integrated with regional and local transit. 

 

Turritin’s presentation can be viewed here:  nsw-presentation-london-10122016-turrittin

 

Communications expert and TAO member Chris Ryan spoke at the end, encouraging everyone to get involved and write to their politicians.

 

The full “Network Southwest” report is available at http://www.swota.ca/network-southwest/

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Mar 27

Annual General Meeting and Public Meeting – Transport Action Ontario – April 16, 2016

By Transport Action Ontario | Events

 

The Transport Action Ontario annual general meeting  and public meeting  will be held on Saturday, April 16, 2016 at Toronto Metro Hall,  55 John Street, Toronto, Room 303.

 

The  Annual General Meeting will be held at 10:00am.   All members are encouraged to attend to hear about the state of the organization and to elect officers and directors.   Nominations are open for the election of officers and directors.  They may be submitted to the Secretary, Bruce Budd at  brucefbudd@gmail.com.

 

Lunch will follow at Aroma Restaurant, 287 King St. W., 2nd floor.  12 noon – 1:30  p.m.  Members and guests invited. 

 

The afternoon public forum will occur from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m:

David Ticoll, Distinguished Research Fellow, Innovation Policy Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto will speak on:          
“HOW AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES WILL RESHAPE CANADA”  
The author claims that  self-driving cars are here today, and will transform the landscape before we know it. They will bring massive benefits to the environment, safety, congestion, land use and accessibility, while dramatically reducing costs. They will also bring many challenges. Is Canada ready?    Ticoll will provide an overview of the opportunities, issues and policy priorities.
David Ticoll’s Oct. 2015 discussion paper on AVs for the City of Toronto may be viewed on the Internet under the title: “Driving Changes: Automated Vehicles in Toronto.”
May 17

Network Southwest Public Forum – St. Thomas, May 27, 2015

By Transport Action Ontario | Events , Intercity Rail and Bus

 

 

St. Thomas will host a public forum to present the  Network Southwest Passenger Rail and Bus Service Action Plan, our plan for rapid solutions to Southwestern Ontario’s  transportation challenges.  The keynote presenter is transportation analyst and government policy advisor Greg Gormick.

 

Wednesday May 27, 2015, 7.00 p.m. – 9.00 p.m.

St. Thomas CASO Station, 750 Talbot St.

St. Thomas, ON N5P 1E2

 

For further details on Network Southwest, consult other recent postings on this website.

 

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