Published on October 6, 2014 | by Adrien Montoya Photography by Kirsten Schollig
0Why first-time council candidate wants an LRT for Ward 1
Akhtar Ayub, a first time politician, is campaigning for the city council elections for Ward 1. He wants Toronto to take a step from a commuting standpoint, into the 21st century.
His idea is to put a system known as LRT which stands for Light Rail Transit. It’s a train that would be used as public transport.
In Akhtar’s plan, this is what LRT would bring to this community. It would reduce the commuting time, there would be discounts for students and senior citizens, improve safety, and reduce the load on buses.
“I was a student once, and I know how tough it can be to handle schoolwork, jobs, commuting, cooking, and many other activities so I want to help students by rewarding them with a discount. Senior citizens would be rewarded with free rides, as I want them to see something new, something sophisticated and something futuristic in their lifetime,” said Ayub.
The train would also allow students to rent apartments and houses further out because they would not have to worry about commuting as much.
The implementation of the new train would also improve security on public transportation vehicles and stops. Presently, there are very few places on the public transportation line that can be considered safe such as Kipling, Islington or Lawrence stations and the bus itself. With a newer system like LRT, there would be fewer stops that would be located in housing areas. With fewer stops, they would be bigger and more secure.
The LRT is a multi-wagon train that has a maximum capacity of nearly five times bigger than that of a current TTC bus. The current bus can handle a maximum load of 55 people, while a single LRT train can transport up to 255 passengers.
“The idea was brought in 2007, but Rob Ford ended the project, when he was elected mayor in 2010. Now, the new talks are suggesting that the city would be equipped with one in 2019,” said Akhtar Ayub.
He also said “it is important to note that the LRT is cheaper than the subway. The cost of 1kilometer of a subway line is around 3 billion dollars, while the LRT only costs 1 billion.”
About the Author
Adrien Montoya is a third year student in Media Studies at the University of Guelph-Humber.
Related Posts
Toronto officer not done with school just yet →
Sketching the Line →
The Sound of Social Change →
