Mayor says Hamilton GO service plans are ‘unacceptable’

Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger did not hold back on Twitter Sunday, slamming Metrolinx’s plan for increased train service beyond the typical weekday rush hours.

Ontario’s Minister of Transportation told CHCH News he supports Metrolinx’s efforts to speed-up service expansions.

There is an all-day direct train service from Burlington to Toronto, something Hamilton has been promised for years. Eisenberger tweeted Sunday the city would not get all day go service until 2031. He called on Metrolinx, the agency in charge of the project, to do better.

In a written statement, the Mayor said, “That is unacceptable! Metrolinx themselves indicate that time line would hurt the economies of both Hamilton and Niagara.”

Metrolinx CEP Phil Verster says services have been expanding. “In 2018, we increased and grew services across our lines by 22.6 per cent. Lakeshore East and West customers, as well as Niagara and Kitchener customers, enjoyed additional services and my plan for the next two years is to continue to increase services even more, every few months, as we improve the rail network,” said Verster in a statement. “Customers will have more travel options and will see service increase across the region by as much 20 per cent in 2019 alone. Transportation Minister Yurek’s and my commitment as Metrolinx CEO is to bring incremental increases in service every single year, making it easier than ever to travel across the Greater Golden Horseshoe on GO Transit. Stay tuned for more on our exciting plans to be announced later this year.”