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Amidst widespread reports of extremely poor commuter rail service over the past winter on the Montreal-Two Mountains line, Two Mountains town council has passed a resolution warning the Agence Métropolitiane de Transport of the discontent brewing among Two Mountains residents because of the situation, while calling on the AMT to get its act together so things don't deteriorate further.
St. Eustache station needed
At council's monthly regular meeting on Feb. 12, the mayor and councillors passed a motion, sponsored by Councillor Martin Bigras and seconded by Councillor Denis Joannette, asking the regional public transit agency to "take measures" and make "representations necessary" to fast-track the construction of a commuter rail station with a long-term parking lot on the territory of the Town of St. Eustache, and that the work be done to coincide with the anticipated purchase by the AMT of new double-decker passenger cars.
Council noted in its resolution that although the AMT adjusted the usual schedule of trains in January to permit more departures during the week on the Montreal-Two Mountains line, the trains have still been late numerous times since then. The councillors and mayor said they had received many serious complaints from Two Mountains residents concerning the bad commuter train service.
Train cars cut
They are especially concerned in view of the fact the AMT on Feb. 10 announced further changes to the train schedule, as well as a reduction in the number of cars, and the start of a period of major repair work which could further compromise the schedule. They also complained about an ongoing lack of commuter parking at the Two Mountains AMT station and the inconveniences this causes to local residents. Trains on the Montreal-Two Mountains line were reduced recently from 10 cars to eight, because their electrical-propulsion system was being hampered by moisture and snow.
For the fifth time since the mid-1990s, they are in need of major repairs, this time costing $3 million. The trains will have 10 cars again when the work is completed in early June. In the meantime with fewer cars, some passengers, especially at stations closer to Montreal during peak hours, have been unable to board. The AMT is trying to make up for the problem with rush-hour shuttle buses between some stations, including Two Mountains. They've also launched a discount program with half-price train passes in March and 25 per cent off in April and May for users of the Montreal-Two Mountains line.
Police presence questioned
During the same meeting, Monique Dorion of 28th Avenue, a council meeting regular who is also a critic of Mayor Marc Lauzon's administration, queried him as to why council recently decided to post a member of the town's police force at the rear of the town hall chamber during council meetings. Lauzon recalled how in recent months there were outbursts involving a few residents during the meetings, "and in order to assure a certain decorum we decided that it was worth the trouble." The mayor noted that the police officer on duty during the Feb. 12 meeting brought along a police technology student undergoing an internship with the police force.
"It also allows that police officer to see a little bit how municipal democracy functions," added Lauzon. "That's very nice for the police officer and the student too, but to assure our security as citizens? I doubt it's the reason. I don't know who's security he's assuring," replied Dorion. During a council meeting several months ago, the mayor ordered Stéphane Plante, a former mayoralty rival from the last election, to leave the council chamber, when Plante broke decorum during question period by refusing to sit down after asking two questions, which is the maximum permitted. Plante, who was turning up regularly at council meetings and grilling Lauzon since the election four years ago, has been conspicuously absent at council meetings since then.
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