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GO Transit may go beyond GTA
`Market potential' in K-W, Cambridge, Guelph
But including Peterborough too costly: Report
Sep. 7, 2006. 05:57 AM
KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER
The future growth of GO Transit bus service might lie outside the Greater Toronto Area.
A report going before GO's board tomorrow proposes extending bus service beyond the reaches of the GTA — enveloping Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph and Niagara Falls.
"There is a reasonable market potential for GO commuter bus service" to those areas, the report found. "There is good potential for the performance to improve as the service grows."
But the report also says bus service to Peterborough isn't warranted and warns that any future expansion shouldn't come at the expense of service currently within the GTA.
GO is considering extending bus service to Waterloo Region by introducing a park-and-ride lot near Campbellville, and at Old Highway 6, off Highway 401.
The report says GO and Greyhound might develop a joint bus terminal facility, with the idea that service would eventually be extended into Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge. Guelph, which has some bus service already, would get more. The train hub would be the Milton station.
Service to Waterloo Region would cost about $2.1 million a year to operate, with capital costs of $7 million for additional buses and enhanced facilities. GO forecasts ridership of about 1,200 a day, covering about 40 per cent of operating costs, and says additional carpool lanes and bus bypass lanes on highways would "aid in its attractiveness."
A new Niagara service would cost $3.5 million a year to operate, and carry about 2,800 riders a day with revenue covering about 75 per cent of the costs. It would cost about $9 million for additional buses and facilities. Buses would meet trains at the Burlington station.
But new service through Durham Region to Peterborough would be too costly to implement, the GO report said. While costs are similar — about $1.4 million a year to operate and $9 million to set up — the return would be too low, with expected ridership maxing out at 275 a day, covering only about 30 per cent of operating costs.
"GO would not normally introduce a service with low initial performance and limited future potential," the report says of Peterborough.
GO Transit may go beyond GTA
`Market potential' in K-W, Cambridge, Guelph
But including Peterborough too costly: Report
Sep. 7, 2006. 05:57 AM
KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER
The future growth of GO Transit bus service might lie outside the Greater Toronto Area.
A report going before GO's board tomorrow proposes extending bus service beyond the reaches of the GTA — enveloping Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph and Niagara Falls.
"There is a reasonable market potential for GO commuter bus service" to those areas, the report found. "There is good potential for the performance to improve as the service grows."
But the report also says bus service to Peterborough isn't warranted and warns that any future expansion shouldn't come at the expense of service currently within the GTA.
GO is considering extending bus service to Waterloo Region by introducing a park-and-ride lot near Campbellville, and at Old Highway 6, off Highway 401.
The report says GO and Greyhound might develop a joint bus terminal facility, with the idea that service would eventually be extended into Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge. Guelph, which has some bus service already, would get more. The train hub would be the Milton station.
Service to Waterloo Region would cost about $2.1 million a year to operate, with capital costs of $7 million for additional buses and enhanced facilities. GO forecasts ridership of about 1,200 a day, covering about 40 per cent of operating costs, and says additional carpool lanes and bus bypass lanes on highways would "aid in its attractiveness."
A new Niagara service would cost $3.5 million a year to operate, and carry about 2,800 riders a day with revenue covering about 75 per cent of the costs. It would cost about $9 million for additional buses and facilities. Buses would meet trains at the Burlington station.
But new service through Durham Region to Peterborough would be too costly to implement, the GO report said. While costs are similar — about $1.4 million a year to operate and $9 million to set up — the return would be too low, with expected ridership maxing out at 275 a day, covering only about 30 per cent of operating costs.
"GO would not normally introduce a service with low initial performance and limited future potential," the report says of Peterborough.