On Friday, April 19, 2013 Metrolinx announced that beginning June 29th GO Transit is increasing off-peak service on the Lakeshore lines to meet the needs of its growing number of customers. This is the largest service expansion in GO history and the result of years of careful planning and construction to expand service on this line.
The Lakeshore line currently operates two-way, all day trains service every hour, with a total of 137 weekday trips. With the expansion to half-hourly service, GO Transit will be adding 263 new weekly trips overall or 36,288 more seats every week. This means schedule train times will be less of a factor for residents along the Lakeshore lines and travel will be more comfortable, as promised in its Passenger Charter.
“It was agreed at the March roundtable hosted by the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce that service on the lakeshore needed to be increased to less than an hourly service to show benefit and value,” stated Bob Malcolmson, Chamber CEO, “and it is encouraging to see Metrolinx is listening to the business community.”
The Chamber released its list of nine recommendations to the BIG MOVE on April 2nd. The number one recommendation was to enhance the value of GO service on the Lakeshore corridor between Hamilton and Oshawa and that a commitment to a 20 or 30 minute service throughout the day was essential. To learn more about the Chamber’s recommendations on the Revenue Tools and the BIG MOVE visit oshawachamber.com.
The continued expansion of GO Train service is a top priority of Metrolinx’s Regional Transportation Plan, The Big Move. With $16B of projects underway – including GO projects such as the Georgetown South expansion and Union Station revitalization – The Big Move is in action. Through the Next Wave of projects, Metrolinx plans to continue enhancing and expanding GO services:
• GO Rail Expansion: Introducing more two-way, all-day service, adding additional rush hour service across the entire network, and extending trains to Hamilton and Bowmanville.
• Electrification of GO Kitchener line and Union Pearson Express: Upgrading diesel train service to electric propulsion for these two complementary transit services.
• GO Lakeshore Express Rail Service – Phase 1 (including Electrification): Transforming GO Transit’s backbone from Hamilton to Oshawa into a faster, more frequent and more convenient transit option by beginning the transition to an international-style Express Rail service.
More details will come prior to the start of service but in the interim, to learn more about the expanded service please visit gotransit.com. To learn more about The Big Move and the Next Wave of projects, visit bigmove.ca.
