One step closer to more frequent trains from Kitchener to Toronto
Posted Sep 24, 2014 02:57:41 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The province is taking the next steps towards two-way, all-day Regional Express Rail service along the Kitchener line.
A public announcement took place this afternoon at the Kitchener Go Station with VP of Operations for GO Transit, Paul Finnerty as well as local MPP’s Daiene Vernile and Kathryn McGarry. McGarry is also the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Transportation.
The line runs from west of Main Street in Georgetown to Park Street in Kitchener. Regional Express Rail service will mean faster, more frequent trains, operating in both directions throughout the day, in the evenings and on weekends.
The rail line was purchased at a cost of $76 million dollars, meaning Metrolinx now owns 80% of the rail corridor over which GO Transit operates.
GO Transit officials say they’ll be doubling train service between the region and Toronto by 2016, but the changes will be incremental.
“By 2016, we’ll double the current service so people will have more choices for transportation from here into points towards Toronto” says Paul Finnerty, Vice President of Operations for Go Transit. “Over time we’ll move towards two-way, all day service. There’s a lot of work that has to be done for that. A lot of infrastructure has to be built. We’re doing our homework now to determine what we need to do and how fast we can do it.”
GO Transit carries approximately 66 million passengers every year, running over 250 train trips on a typical weekday.
To listen to the full interview with Paul Finnerty, click below:
