Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) from Ajax, Rob Cerjanec, has sent a letter to the CEO of Metrolinx urging restoration of the GO Lakeshore East Express Service as workers return to office.
Responding to his earlier call late last month (see below), Metrolinx indicated it did not have a timeline to share for either the return of express service or the electrification of the line.
The MPP is now formally asking for the restoration of GO Express service as soon as possible.
The express trains were suspended in September 2021 due to Ontario Line and East Harbour transit hub construction. They were scheduled to return in August 2024 but no timelines or answers are being provided other than construction is ongoing,” said the MPP yesterday.
Third Track Option
MPP Cerjanec has heard from thousands regarding the challenges this will pose to them and the impact on families. To press for answers, MPP Cerjanec has written directly to the CEO of Metrolinx about the ongoing delay in restoring express service and has suggested utilizing the third track between Danforth GO and Guildwood GO to restore partial express service, he said in an issued statement.
With major private sector employers and the provincial government requiring in-office work, MPP Cerjanec has written to their CEOs to explain the challenges for commuters from Durham Region, encouraging them to contact Metrolinx, and to reconsider their decisions to mandate in-office work until there is reliable transit service.
Express Saves Almost an Hour a Day
“The absence of express service has left commuters in Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, and Clarington with longer travel times and less reliable options for reaching downtown Toronto. Riders continue to face slower trips, increased crowding, and limited alternatives during peak commuting hours,” said the MPP.
The Lakeshore East Express trains provided significant time savings of almost an hour each day for commuters traveling to and from Durham Region. Restoring the service would ease congestion on local trains, help take cars off the road, improve reliability, and make commuting more efficient for thousands of riders who are or have already returned to the office, he pointed out.
The Petition
To give commuters a stronger voice, MPP Cerjanec has launched a petition calling on the provincial government and Metrolinx to restore express service on the GO Lakeshore East line to better serve commuters in Durham Region and to modernize GO infrastructure for the future.
Commuters can join the call for change by signing the petition here: www.golakeshore.ca.