High Speed Rail Forum!

[MolsonExport]

^well said.

The K-W and Hamilton areas aren't that much bigger than London, so what's London's excuse for not seriously looking into light rail??

well, perhaps if it were offered as a doorcrasher at Zellers, the Mayor would jump on it.

[SlickFranky]

Originally Posted by Stevo26

I attended the HSR Forum last night and found it quite informative. The presenters from Alstom, Bombardier and Siemens knew their stuff and made some pretty cogent (and compelling) presentations in favour of high speed rail.

I wasn't able to attend so I didn't get to hear their specific arguments, but it should be taken into consideration that these speakers are just slightly biased.

As much as I agree an extra 100k people would do wonders for our city, becoming a bedroom community of Toronto isn't exactly what I had in mind. Hopefully our council aspires to more than that, though I'm sure many of them think that would be just grand.

[Stevo26]

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

I have emailed our city councillors several times over the past few years and had some of my letters published in the LFP asking these questions. Our mayor and city council just don't get it. They have no vision whatsoever and we as Londoners are paying the price. They had no vision to build a highway in the city in the 70's when the government would pay for it and they have no vision today to build LRT when the government is willing to pay for it. It is time for a new mayor in this city. Below is a letter that I wrote to the LFP. It was published in the VOX POP opinion section.

Letter to Editor

UNLESS otherwise noted, these letters are to be considered unedited. The opinions expressed in the letters and comments are those of the writers and not of The London Free Press.

RAILWAY
Light rail transit in future requires city planning now
It's time that our city politicians and planners put aside the bottled water and drive-through bans and considered the future of Londoners.

Recently Metrolinx, which is an organization created by the government of Ontario, announced a $50-billion transit project to improve transit in the Greater Toronto Area. This includes not only the city of Toronto, but also Hamilton, Mississauga, Brampton and other outlying cities. Metrolinx's plan is to build light rail rapid transit lines all across the Greater Toronto Area.

In Waterloo Region, they are doing the same thing with a $300-$500-million light rail project that will provide a transit line from Waterloo to Cambridge. In Ottawa, they already have light rail, but they are significantly expanding their system.

If we considered other centres across Canada, we would see the same rapid transit plans being drawn up and talked about from Victoria to Halifax.

So I guess the obvious question to London planners and politicians is this: Why are we sitting on our hands in this time of generous government handouts when we could be doing the same as Waterloo?

Our transit planners' grand plans are for more of the same. They call it bus rapid transit, but only two of the words in that phrase are correct. It's really just bus transit.

Cities that build light rail transit systems are the real "smart cities" because rail transit gets people out of their cars and onto fast and efficient trains.

Calgary and Edmonton knew this when they were London's size and they planned for the future. Today they have terrific light rail systems.

When I hear our politicians talk, they speak of how progressive and creative London is. But when I see their plans, I wonder who they are comparing us to: Teeswater?

Is it any wonder that we consistently lag other cities in the rankings? Is it any wonder that Waterloo Region has now replaced London as Canada's 10th largest metropolitan area?

If our city wants to stop drive-throughs, they should create a city that encourages alternative transportation. Oh well, I am sure this will fall on deaf ears as our council is too busy finding something else to ban.



POSTED BY: Rob Dore, London
POSTED ON: October 8, 2008

EDITORS NOTE: As published in The London Free Press on Oct. 8, 2008.

Good letter. It's interesting to note that more than six months have passed since your letter was published, and nary a peep from City Council on light rail. Now they want to jump on the HSR bandwagon, which is in itself a good thing, but to really make it work, a comprehensive network of bus rapid transit and light rail is required.

Part of the problem, as I see it, is that Londoners are politically moribund. They really would rather focus on non-issues like a ban on drive-throughs or bottled water. Simply because they're simple matters, and don't require a lot of thought.

Light rail and other advanced transit options takes educating oneself and thinking for oneself when sorting through the various options and figuring out what benefits they will bring the average Londoner. That's too much work for some people, it seems.

For as long as Londoners are willing to behave that way and keep voting for the usual suspects every election, nothing much is likely to change.

London's system of municipal governance is in dire need of reform. Getting rid of Board of Control is a step in the right direction. Now we need councillors who are elected to work on a full-time basis and paid appropriately. Paying someone just $30,000 a year to represent constituents is not a good way to attract real talent.

It may seem counter-intuitive to advocate for higher salaries for councillors, but sometimes smaller-government initiatives like having part-time councillors don't always deliver the benefits you think they will.

Councillors working full-time can focus more on liaising with citizens and conducting the necessary research to resolve their concerns. This is what provincial MPP's and federal MP's do when they're not sitting in their respective legislative houses.

Good councillors also challenge mayors and keep them in check. To say nothing of the fact that a strong mayor is needed to effectively guide and manage strong councillors.

Anyway, I'm getting off track here. If city council doesn't smarten up soon and start looking seriously at advanced public transit options, the best and brightest people are going to start leaving for cities willing to offer those amenities.

[Stevo26]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

I like the idea of HSR links in London, as our city needs about 100K more (relatively well-off) people to get the critical mass necessary to actually do something.

Respectfully, I disagree. At the High Speed Rail Forum held at City Hall last night, Mario Péloquin of Siemens pointed out that in Europe, cities with populations of about 100,000 already have high-speed rail stations and light-rail lines. Now I realize that those two things are more workable in such places given the relatively small size of most European countries.

However, if present demographic trends continue, Ontario's population will double in size within the next thirty years - about the same time France needed to fully develop its high-speed rail system.

In other words, it's time to start doing something now. The 'critical mass' you speak of is coming.

[GreatTallNorth2]

Yes, I completly agree with you, but how do you wake up politicians (local) that don't have a clue.

Was Anne Marie there? How about London Transit officials? What specifically did they say about light rail transit?

[Stevo26]

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

Yes, I completly agree with you, but how do you wake up politicians (local) that don't have a clue.

Was Anne Marie there? How about London Transit officials? What specifically did they say about light rail transit?

The mayor wasn't there, and I thought she should have been. Maybe she was too busy waiting on tables at Friday Knight Lights.

Larry Ducharme of London Transit was there, but as an observer, not a presenter.

As to waking up politicians who don't have a clue? Easier said than done. If we paid councillors better salaries, we might attract people who are willing to listen and act on constituents' concerns.

[MolsonExport]

the mayor was over at the Pond Mills Zellers busy picking up sale-priced patio lanterns for her DUI husband's crappy bar patio.

[go_leafs_go02]

article in the free press today:

London tracked on high-speed rail link
Fri, July 17, 2009
After more than 30 years of debate, there are signs the federal and provincial governments are warming to the concept

The Ontario government is looking hard at London as it eyes a possible high-speed rail service.

Debated and studied for more than 30 years, high-speed rail in the Windsor-Quebec City corridor isn't a new idea.

But now there are signs the provincial and federal governments are taking the concept more seriously -- and London is in the mix, transportation observers say.

Full article here:
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Loc...64546-sun.html

[Stevo26]

Originally Posted by go_leafs_go02

article in the free press today:

London tracked on high-speed rail link
Fri, July 17, 2009
After more than 30 years of debate, there are signs the federal and provincial governments are warming to the concept



Full article here:
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Loc...64546-sun.html

This is very good news, although the skeptic in me says, "I'll believe it when I see it."

This is a clear indication, too, that the High Speed Rail symposium held at City Hall a couple months ago had a significant impact at the political level.

You've probably also seen the recent announcement from the federal government that they're going to spend $300 million on improving the Toronto-Montreal rail link with a third siding. To my way of thinking, this is a sign that they're taking the first step toward implementing high-speed rail.

[ldoto]

Transit plan includes GO trains

Tue, September 15, 2009

'It is a different way of thinking'


A four-line streetcar route shaped like a cross, with downtown London in the centre and the arms reaching north, south, east and west.

Two rectangles of bus routes intersecting those streetcar lines. GO trains heading east and west, and light rapid transit rail heading to smaller centres.

And all along the routes, people-friendly streets with commercial, retail and residential development built at key connections.

An ambitious plan unveiled yesterday at city hall turns the idea of London's transit system on its head.

Instead of buses and streetcars being an afterthought to development, the transit system would actually determine where and how the city grows.




"It is a different way of thinking," city planning and development manager John Fleming said yesterday after a short presentation to politicians. "We use transit as a way for sparking growth and attracting investment."

The plan, called an urban structure plan, is a long way from being implemented.

The city's planning committee merely commented on the plan and referred it to several other city agencies, such as the London Transit Commission, for comment.

"I like what we're trying to do, but most of us won't be around when it happens," Cont, Bud Polhill said.

"We are just beginning the discussion," agreed city planner John Fleming.

But it's a discussion Londoners should have, he added.

Cities across the U.S. are using the same principals to guide development in their major activity centres and residential neighbourhoods, and link the two, said London's urban designer, Sean Galloway.

In Toronto, all you have to do is look down from the CN Tower to see where the thriving, mixed-density neighbourhoods rise -- at the subway stations that lead to the core, he added.

Mixed residential-retail and commercial neighbourhoods would thrive in London where the streetcar, bus and rail lines intersect, Galloway said.

In London, the major centres of activity include the downtown, the University of Western Ontario, Fanshawe College, the hospital campuses, the airport, Innovation Park and, at the centre, the downtown.

The transit system would move people within London, and to London.

"Downtown should be the centre of Southwestern Ontario and we need transportation that allows that to happen," Galloway said.

[MolsonExport]

Hey, it might bring in more customers to Friday Knight Lights...this will sell it to AM de C-B!

[Rosso Corsa]

Has this been benched by the BRT initiative stealing the spotlight, or this still an active proposal? Anyone have any updates?

[haljackey]

BRT is local

HSR is regional.

Apples to pineapples. Should have no affect

[kaiserLDN]

Happy to see HSR from Pearson to KW and London area being mentioned.

http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2017/02/...it-hub-pearson

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/t...ment-1.3968790

[jammer139]

Sadly when Pearson was being planned the focus was on cars and the thought to incorporate rail transit as a option was not even on the table. Short term thinking always comes up short. There is a rail spur that connects downtown London and the London airport lands. VIA rail runs one of their London to Toronto trains on this line that passes thru St. Marys, Stratford, Kitchener, Guelph. On the south side of London Airport is the CP main line. Only now do transportation and urban planners start talking about multi mode transportation. It's a shame these weren't planned back when these facilities were built.

[haljackey]

Libs back off from high speed rail, say it's just a study

http://www.lfpress.com/2017/04/19/de...nto-and-london

Reminds me of the Rick Mercer bit:
• Video Link

[kaiserLDN]

Originally Posted by haljackey

Libs back off from high speed rail, say it's just a study

http://www.lfpress.com/2017/04/19/de...nto-and-london

Reminds me of the Rick Mercer bit:
• Video Link

that's a great video. I wonder how many studies and books are kicking around Canada for high speed rail over the last few decades..... would be nice just to get at least a dedicated passenger rail line to Toronto

[manny_santos]

I'm particularly bothered by Matthews' comment about the possibility of low ridership. If you make it competitive enough with the car in terms of convenience, and better priced than VIA Rail or Greyhound, people will be more likely to take it. Doubly so if the 401 ever got tolled.

I personally would be unlikely to use it if it opened today as I live in North York and anyone I would visit in the London area do not live anywhere close to downtown. But as a downtown Toronto worker, I'd consider living in London and commuting to Toronto - if BRT/LRT is built and it links directly with a high speed rail terminal. A big if.

[HillStreetBlues]

From that article:

"Those comments — not nearly as confident as Liberal ministers sounded in 2014 — could stoke concern the massive project, talked about for decades, may not actually happen — or, more painfully for London, it could only go as far west as Kitchener-Waterloo, leaving London on the outside of a potential economic surge.

KW is now the outer limit in Western Ontario of the Ontario government’s own commuter rail service to Toronto, the GO system.

The Financial Post also recently reported that an airline is offering 18-minute flights between K-W and Toronto, possibly starting by June."

I love the London-Waterloo rivalry! How could it be better that it not exist than if it came part but not all of the way to London?

Anyway: Toronto and Montreal are where we should really have HSR, but Toronto to the west would attract significant ridership and change the growth patterns in southern Ontario in a monumental way. It would be expensive, but worth it.

[Dupcheck]

Ontario Premier what's her name should be fired. Did she just say it was "meant to be a study"! Who got the kickbacks of this study? Is this a joke to her? Does she have any shame!

HWY 407 ETR gov missed the boat on that and gave it away for 99 years for peanuts. That highway has paid itself over several times over a short period. Why are ON politicians so stupid to miss the boat here again with Highs Speed rail to connect TO with South Western ON. This would also be a great way to naturally cool down the real estate market in GTA.