The dedicated electric rail mass transit system, though very effecient are not universally accepted, especially by the local merchants who claim that they are killing businesses along their routes...The City of Toronto announcement of a l5- year $6 Billion plan to add 120 kilometres of electric light-rail transit lines along seven corridors through Toronto and carry 175 million riders a year is workable in every levels in Theory, but for most skeptics and critiques it is but a pipe dream.
First there is no Capital funding for the Transit Authority in the City’s Capital budget for such project and secondly, it needs a firm commitment from the Provincial and Federal Governments for funding such a Huge project.
It is to be acknowledged that Toronto is the Economic Engine of Canada. And the People who power that engine, majority of whom live outside the city and commute by different modes, by trains, by driving or by buses. So it doesn’t make sense to have a very efficient Transit System inside the city when most of the people working in the city can’t even get to the city in time because of the jammed highways, and not equally efficient regional transit systems.
As we are getting aware of our environment and the damage the vehicles emission cause to it, and the long range program of Mass Transit is a very attractive alternative to our Love Affairs with our Cars and Gas Guzzlers SUVs and CrossOvers. But the program should be regional and national in scope to get the most benefits and returns from the substantial capital outlays for its implementations. An Electric Bus or Streetcar or Train carrying 100s of passengers is always environmentally friendly than a car with a driver only passenger..
