Mayor Sutcliffe speaks with TSB about safety of Ottawa's LRT system

Only days after a heavy warning from the Transportation Safety Board on the safety of Ottawa's light rail transit system, the mayor now says he’s concerned, but will continue to ride the train.

Mark Sutcliffe says he followed up with the TSB about their letter to the city on Feb. 3.

"I’m concerned about the technical issues that our system has been experiencing," Sutcliffe said.

Sutcliffe said he had a conversation with TSB officials to get a better understanding of the context of their findings and the line in their report that stated it still poses a safety risk.

"If anybody was saying that we should discontinue the service while these issues are being sorted out, then we would do that, of course," Sutcliffe said on Friday.

In a letter dated Feb. 3 and released Wednesday, the Transportation Safety Board issued a warning about the axle bearing assembly on Ottawa's Confederation Line trains. Problems with the assembly led to a derailment in August 2021 and additional problems in July 2022.

The TSB said the parts will "continue to pose a risk to safety" until OC Transpo and Rideau Transit Maintenance resolve the issues "to protect the travelling public."

Sutcliffe insists the system is safe for riders.

"I’ve been reassured that the system is safe. I took the train yesterday myself and I felt very comfortable doing that," he said.

"What we know is that there are a number of mitigation measures in place and they are addressing the issues on a short-term basis while we work on a solution."

Meanwhile trust is waning for some who take the LRT daily.

"Trust has been a long-term issue with our LRT system," said Laura Shantz, a member of the Ottawa Transit Riders. "Here have been a lot of incidents that have happened over the last several years now that have eaten away at rider trust and that’s going to take a long time to rebuild."

For those who rely on this system, there isn’t always an alternative affordable way to travel.

"I certainly am troubled, to say the least," said Midas Chin, a frequent transit user. "I currently live in Kanata so I rely heavily on the train and public transit to get from place to place."

On Thursday, Ottawa’s head of transit services vowed the city’s LRT system is safe, telling councillors that the city and OC Transpo took the time to review the letter from the TSB and ensure enhanced safety measures are aligned with the suggestions from the safety board.

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Michael Woods