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
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Statistics Canada says real GDP grew 0.2 per cent in February
Canada's GDP rose 0.2 per cent in February, driven by a rebound in transportation and warehousing, which saw the largest recorded month-to-month rise in over a year at 1.4 per cent.
BREAKING 4 dead, including infant, in wrong-way crash involving police on Ontario's Highway 401
A wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby, Ont. last night has left four people dead, including an infant, Ontario’s police watchdog says.
NEW Is there a cost to convenience? Canada approves new cancer immunotherapy treatment
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Canada's new dental program offering hope of free care to millions but many dentists aren't signed up
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
Winner of US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot is an immigrant from Laos who has cancer
One of the winners of a historic US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot last month is an immigrant from Laos who has had cancer for eight years and had his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.
King Charles III returns to public duties with a trip to a cancer charity
King Charles III returned to public duties on Tuesday, visiting a cancer treatment charity and beginning his carefully managed comeback after the monarch's own cancer diagnosis sidelined him for three months.
NDP says Ottawa's new grocery task force isn't living up to government promises
The federal government says the task force it created to monitor and investigate grocery retailers' practices has not conducted any probes and doesn't have a mandate to take enforcement action.