本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛Mayor Rob Ford says if re-elected, he will move to reduce crowding on buses and streetcars and establish new express bus routes — without adding to the ranks of the TTC.
The ideas come from a wish list to be discussed by the Toronto Transit Commission on Tuesday.
Usually railing against streetcars, the mayor called them “pretty efficient” and “relatively quick” during a 9 a.m. press conference and claimed he can pay for some improvements by pushing through the next term of council budget cuts that this term rejected.
The TTC’s list include things like operating all transit routes all day, every day, allowing riders to hop on and off the TTC in any direction over a two hour period for the price of one fare, and rear door boarding.
Implementation would cost $19-million next year, ramping up to $65-million and that’s just for the operations side. The TTC says it would also have to spend $288-million on more buses, streetcars and other capital projects.
The mayor supports establishing a network of ten minute or better bus and streetcar service, expanding overnight service, and looking at other transit priority measures outlined in the report, such as queue jumping lanes for buses.
Mr. Ford doesn’t support the hop on, hop off privilege, arguing that it will lead to disputes over whether passengers are under the two hour period.
“How do you define two hours?” he asked at his campaign headquarters in Etobicoke. “Why not make it an hour? Why not make it three hours? I believe when you get on, you pay.”
He also opposes the “honour system” of allowing people to board from back doors, even though a city report found that the chief cause of delays on the King streetcar came from getting on and off. He says the TTC should be able to reduce crowding and wait times on buses and streetcars without hiring more drivers.
“I cannot support hiring more people at the TTC. I believe they are staffed efficiently they do a great job, but no I do not support hiring more people at the TTC,” he said
He committed to reallocating to the TTC $30-million of the $100-million he says he can cut out of the city budget, arguing that a new raft of councillors will “have to listen to the mandate that’s given to me.”
Mr. Ford took some shots at Olivia Chow’s bus plan but saved his most pointed attacks for John Tory, who has been rising in the polls and who has been slamming the mayor for cost overruns under his watch.
“Yes, I’m calling John Tory a ditherer,” said Mr. Ford of his challenger, who had criticized the fact that the report would emerge during the sunset of a term of council, and without a financial plan. “He looked like a deer in headlights yesterday. He was lost.” Mr. Tory’s campaign fired back at the mayor’s claim “that’s how City Hall works” with a statement.
“This from the man who promised voters he was going to stop the gravy train at City Hall and watch every tax dollar. A half a billion dollar wish list with no financial plan whatsoever and the Mayor just shrugs. Rob Ford has, once again, proven that he is out of gas and can’t lead,” the campaign said.
In a tweet, Ms. Chow, who has pledged $15-million to expand bus service (to be paid for through property taxes), wrote: “Lets remember Rob Ford cut #TTC funding leading to higher fares more crowded buses & less service. One reason we need to invest now.”更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
The ideas come from a wish list to be discussed by the Toronto Transit Commission on Tuesday.
Usually railing against streetcars, the mayor called them “pretty efficient” and “relatively quick” during a 9 a.m. press conference and claimed he can pay for some improvements by pushing through the next term of council budget cuts that this term rejected.
The TTC’s list include things like operating all transit routes all day, every day, allowing riders to hop on and off the TTC in any direction over a two hour period for the price of one fare, and rear door boarding.
Implementation would cost $19-million next year, ramping up to $65-million and that’s just for the operations side. The TTC says it would also have to spend $288-million on more buses, streetcars and other capital projects.
The mayor supports establishing a network of ten minute or better bus and streetcar service, expanding overnight service, and looking at other transit priority measures outlined in the report, such as queue jumping lanes for buses.
Mr. Ford doesn’t support the hop on, hop off privilege, arguing that it will lead to disputes over whether passengers are under the two hour period.
“How do you define two hours?” he asked at his campaign headquarters in Etobicoke. “Why not make it an hour? Why not make it three hours? I believe when you get on, you pay.”
He also opposes the “honour system” of allowing people to board from back doors, even though a city report found that the chief cause of delays on the King streetcar came from getting on and off. He says the TTC should be able to reduce crowding and wait times on buses and streetcars without hiring more drivers.
“I cannot support hiring more people at the TTC. I believe they are staffed efficiently they do a great job, but no I do not support hiring more people at the TTC,” he said
He committed to reallocating to the TTC $30-million of the $100-million he says he can cut out of the city budget, arguing that a new raft of councillors will “have to listen to the mandate that’s given to me.”
Mr. Ford took some shots at Olivia Chow’s bus plan but saved his most pointed attacks for John Tory, who has been rising in the polls and who has been slamming the mayor for cost overruns under his watch.
“Yes, I’m calling John Tory a ditherer,” said Mr. Ford of his challenger, who had criticized the fact that the report would emerge during the sunset of a term of council, and without a financial plan. “He looked like a deer in headlights yesterday. He was lost.” Mr. Tory’s campaign fired back at the mayor’s claim “that’s how City Hall works” with a statement.
“This from the man who promised voters he was going to stop the gravy train at City Hall and watch every tax dollar. A half a billion dollar wish list with no financial plan whatsoever and the Mayor just shrugs. Rob Ford has, once again, proven that he is out of gas and can’t lead,” the campaign said.
In a tweet, Ms. Chow, who has pledged $15-million to expand bus service (to be paid for through property taxes), wrote: “Lets remember Rob Ford cut #TTC funding leading to higher fares more crowded buses & less service. One reason we need to invest now.”更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net