Scarborough subway critics' poll finds riders worried about stations closing

Transit activists say eight out of 10 commuters recently surveyed at Lawrence East station didn't know the stopwon't connect with the future Scarborough subway line.

Scarborough Transit Action (STA) an offshoot of TTC Riders held a Thursday morning rally at the station on the RT line. Outside the main doors, two demonstrators held a large black banner reading "save our stations."

• Council votes to push ahead with Scarborough subway, despite opposition

Mayor John Tory and city council have voted to forge ahead with a subway extension to Scarborough Town Centre, now expected to cost some $3.35 billion, but STA still wants to revert to the original seven-stop light rail plan.

Lawrence East is slated to be a stop in Tory's SmartTrack plans. Coun. Michael Thompson, who represents the ward, says plans to redesign the station are in the works and vowed to keep the community in the loop about the changes.

STA's Vincent Puhakkaquestioned how forthcoming city hall has been about the changes.

"The politicians are not telling people what's actually happening to the SRT," he said.

"The impression is that the subway is coming to their neighbourhood, when in reality it's a one-stop subway that serves the town centre and nowhere else."

Tory's office says Scarboroughwill benefit from both the subway extension and SmartTrack service and the EglintonEast LRT.

"The Scarborough subway extension is the best plan to serve Scarborough residents," Tory said in an emailed statement.

"It will help spur development, jobs and growth in the heart of Scarborough."

Scarboroughrider concerned it will slow down travel

The group says its volunteers spoke with 200 transit users at Lawrence East station in August. Among their findings:

• Half of respondents say they use the station to travel within Scarborough.

• 86 per cent of people didn't know about plans to turn the RT stopinto a SmartTrack station.
• 93 per cent of respondents say they would prefer light rail to the subway.

Scarborough resident Leonie Thelwell lives near Lawrence Avenue and says she's concerned the changes will make it harder for her to get around. Now, she says, she takes a bus to the RT then the train to Scarborough Town Centre. In the future, that entire trip will be by bus.

"What I fear about here is that it will add more time," she said.

Thompson says he doesn't think there will be a "huge differential" for people moving around within Scarboroughonce the subway is operational. He also said he'll keep pushing for more transit in the area.

"We're not saying this is going to be the end ... we need to do more," he said.

Thelwell says the Scarborough subway plans just don't make sense to her.

"Why would anybody really sit down and think that a one-stop subway, for what it costs, is really a good fiscal decision?

"I cannot come to a conclusion about why they think that makes any sense."

STA's Moya Beall says while the subway appears to be going ahead for now, she thinks council may re-evaluate when the TTC presents a more detailed plan for the line. Right now, the TTC is working to get to a 30 per cent design.

SmartTrack fare will be the same as TTC, mayor's office says

Beall says she also thinks councillors will feel more pressure as more riders realize the subway plan's ramifications, something she says hasn't been made clear despite extensive media coverage of the issue.

"The news hasn't talked about the fact that people are going to lose their stations.It hasn't told them that," Beall said.

Puhakkasays he believes many Scarborough commuters aren't happy with how the issue is being dealt with, and expects it to be front and centre in next year's municipal election.

"People in Scarborough are waking up," he said.

STA also warned the commuters it polled that riding SmartTrack could cost more than the TTC fare. Tory's office fiercely rejected that in an email to CBC Toronto, saying the mayor has always said the fare will be exactly the same.