Train service expands

West Island public transit users will benefit from a slightly expanded commuter rail service on both lines that cut a path through the area shortly after New Year, according to announcements by the Agence Métropolitaine de Transport (AMT), the transit authority in charge of trains in the Greater Montreal area.

"The AMT is happy to announce the addition of new train services to its suburban lines as of January 12, 2009," the company's press release read. "The announcement, which is made possible thanks to the Quebec government, follows negotiations with Canadian Pacific and Canadian National to free some scheduled time on and off rush hour," it continue.

All in all, the Deux-Montagnes line, which stops at Roxboro and Sunnybrooke stations in the West Island, will see a total of 26 departures per day during the week toward Montreal, which amounts to one more train passage than the current schedule has.

Meanwhile, those who would return to Deux-Montagnes from Montreal will be able to do so 25 times a day, an addition of two trains to the current schedule.

The Dorion-Rigaud line, which has nine West Island stops, sees one more new stop toward downtown Montreal on weekdays, and another on the way back, averaging 12 and 13 stops, respectively.

"Anything is better than what we have," said West Island industrial commissioner Gerry Arsenault. "It's a much-appreciated first try," he added, "but there's still a lot more work to be done."

Last summer, the CLD, which promotes small-business entrepreneurship in the area, reacted to Montreal's transit plan with a series of proposals of its own for the West Island.

Among other things, the study pointed out only 17 per cent of 67, 000 commuters who arrive to the West Island daily to work use public transit on their trip. "People have to move to the West Island from Montreal," Arsenault told The Chronicle. "We have to get them off the highways," he said.

Arsenault also pointed out a lot of employers in the West Island are looking to hire people who live closer to the downtown core, but find it difficult due to the inadequacies of public transit here.

Arsenault said the only way to really fix this problem is with the addition of a third commuter rail line, the much-vaunted Pierre Elliot Trudeau International airport/downtown Montreal rail shuttle line.

"That can't stop just at the airport," Arsenault said. "It has to come to Ste. Anne de Bellevue."

Arsenault, who sits on an advisory committee for the shuttle train, said he does nobody is certain exactly where that train will go through yet.

"We have another meeting scheduled next week," he told The Chronicle, expecting he would have more information at the time.

Rail users are advised the addition of new trains has changed some of the old schedules.

The AMT did not return calls for comment as of press time.

For a full schedule of the new train lines, head to:

www.amt.qc.ca