Photo courtesy of Danielle Scott via Flickr.
GO Transit's plan to expand service on the Kitchener Line seems to be backfiring.
Since increasing service to Kitchener on Monday, thousands of commuters at Toronto's Union Station have been severely inconvenienced. Some have even fainted from overcrowding at the station.
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The problem is the result of a 4:50 p.m. express train being cancelled to accommodate another train that stops at more stations. Of course, 4:50 p.m. is primetime when it comes to the end of day commute. So the loss of an express train puts extra pressure on the on the rides before and after that time slot.
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Changes like these often require an adjustment period, but it seems no one expected the situation to get this bad this fast.
Angry commuters have taken to social media posting pictures and videos of the complete chaos at Union Station. Needless to say, it isn't pretty.
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Ontario's Mister of Transportation, Jeff Yurek issued a statement on Wednesday addressing concerns about overcrowding on the Kitchener Line. Yurek said he takes the concerns very seriously and has directed Metrolinx to resolve the issue "in the coming weeks."
Since the statement was issued, safety officers have been sent to affected stations to monitor the situation.
