By Tyler Kula, from www.theobserver.ca The Observer
A Sarnia-Lambton group fighting to restore rail service in the county and Southwestern Ontario is vying for three years of increased train traffic, to see if it raises ridership rates.
“If at the end of three years we don’t get an increase in ridership, or we don’t get any better results from patronizing the service … then all the effort will be for naught,” said Jim Houston, president of Rail Advocacy in Lambton (RAIL).
The proposed pilot project has only been discussed with VIA, Houston said. He’s meeting with company brass in Montreal May 21 to hammer out details.
“We have now put some schedules together and we’re prepared to discuss those across the table and see if they’re willing to go,” he said.
The basic idea though, he said, is to have three trains in and out of Sarnia per day, with London as a hub connecting to the main line.
Currently Sarnia-Lambton has one train leaving around 6 a.m. and one train returning around 10:30 p.m., after VIA Rail service was slashed almost two years ago.
Lack of ridership was cited at the time as one of the reasons for the cuts, with trains averaging about 30 people — well below the 120-passenger benchmark, VIA officials have said.
Federal funding has also been harder to come by in recent years for the Crown corporation, perpetuating service cuts, Houston said.
VIA’s corporate plan from 2011 says federal funding shrank by $148 million between 1990 and 2010, to $262 million. The company’s most recent annual report, from 2012, shows $279.1-million in operating funding from the feds.
Sarnia-Lambton MP Pat Davidson, said the government has given more than $1-billion to VIA since 2006.
“Our government really supports the rail service in Canada. We know it’s important,” she said, adding the three-year pilot project is a good idea.
She noted RAIL has been working directly with Transport Canada on a number of issues.
“We’re hopeful that will happen,” she said.
“We know that it’s been a real blow to our community to see the rail service diminish.”
Meanwhile the lack of ticket agents at Sarnia’s station is another issue to discuss, Houston said.
“The only time it’s open to get a ticket is half an hour before train time.”
He noted a partnership with Robert Q to compensate for lost rail services also isn’t performing well enough to connect with London trains.
He repeated his call for a national rail policy so VIA isn’t at the “whim” of Cabinet.
A recent provincial announcement that Ontario is studying up on the feasibility of building a high-speed rail line between London and Toronto was welcome news for the group, he said.
“VIA Rail or somebody has to service that high-speed rail program,” he said. “There has to be connectors to the other areas within the southwest.”
Group members discussed bringing Sarnia and the region into the plan with Transport Minister Glenn Murray earlier this week.
While the minister said the area hasn’t been forgotten, Houston said, he added there needs to be co-operation with the federal government for line improvements.
“It just makes us work harder,” Houston said of the announcement, adding, “We’re not going to go away.”
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