Passengers at the Clarkson GO station in Mississauga say their platform is dangerously overcrowded and their train ride uncomfortable now that the 7:58am trip fills up in Oakville.- Toronto Star
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Commuters at the Clarkson station in Mississauga are accusing GO Transit of sacrificing their comfort, convenience and safety to riders one stop west at the Oakville station.
Nearly 700 people have signed an online petition and 57 have contacted GO directly since a Labour Day service adjustment to the 7:58 a.m. train that runs express to Union Station in 27 minutes.
The train used to originate at Clarkson so riders there were accustomed to a comfortable ride, usually in a seat. Now the train starts in Oakville and Clarkson passengers find themselves standing in the aisles and on the staircases. Many worry that the platform at Clarkson has also become so crowded that it’s tough to stand back from the yellow line when a VIA train whooshes through the station fast enough to throw someone off balance.
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18 comments:
Clarkson commuters: welcome to what the rest of us have to deal with.
And here I was, biting my tongue.
Amen to that.
You're right. That's one of the lamest petitions/complaints I've heard in a while when some of us are faced with NO SERVICE if there is a strike in 10 days.
What next, are they going to put tents up on the platforms?
Is this the start of Occupy GO or are some commuters just reading too much Drudge?
Honestly, good for them, I say. GO needs to do a better job in just about every aspect of its customer service.
Sounds like Ajax every morning.
Welcome to EVERY other line. Shall we ALL start petitions? I want a seat too regardless of where I get on for a 27 minute express.
How about an express train from Oshawa??? A 30 minute train ride would be awesome. Where do I sign the petition??? What a bunch of babies those LSW-ers!!! Look at the shit us LSEs have put up with. Wow. Pretentious much?
Chopper Reid has some advice for you Clarkson riders:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unkIVvjZc9Y
boo hoo, Mississauga.
Maybe they should petition VIA to slow down when they pass through Clarkson?
This is my train - I laughed when I heard about the petition, because yes, it's obvious people are really just saying "I want a seat and I want the train to sit there for 10 mins so I can relax". The difference is that it's hard to have that, then have it taken away so that OAKVILLE of all places can have it. The only thing that makes me want to agree is that as if Oakville richies need anymore service! argh! Anyway - I think petitions are useless and silly, but good luck to them. I'll still sign! -Kelly (I have to sign in as anonymous as I don't have a URL or google acct or whatever)
Hey Kelly,
You can use the Name/URL section and put in your name and still post.
But wow. what are you trying to say? your point is lost as you wander all over the place.
Clarkson has it pretty good in terms of service so yeah are they whiners? Yes, BUT that train was the only one that originated in Clarkson so I can sympathize with them a little. And I know that Oakville people also use the Clarkson station. Haven't people realized that the world revolves around Oakville or at least they think it does. hahaha
Sorry I guess I was rattled after my late (again) trip in. ha ha, kidding. Just saying 1. Hard to lose what you had and 2. Hard to lose it to Oakville. But I do agree with the Star article that there are still seats available if you don't have to be first off and are willing to move a car or two down.
@Kelly - God forbid that people might have to walk further down the platform!!! ;-) People are so stuck with their routines, from where they park in the lot, to the car they board to where they sit.
I change it up from time to time to keep things interesting and besides, the men in my usual car are either all ugly or married.
I fell getting on the train at Union three weeks ago in full view of all the door donkeys on the 4:53 LSE. I was holding the pole, which was lucky, so I didn't hit the ground but in addition to my bruised ego I hurt my back, got some wonderful bruises and a scratch on my shin. Eight days later that scratch is bright red and hotter than hell - it was infected, I have something called cellulitis (Yes, the GO train is a dirty, dirty place). I am on my second round of antibiotics and it still isn't gone.
I wrote to GO transit to tell them I slipped on the metal stair on the outside of the train. I was wearing shoes with traction but that stair was wet and my foot slid like it was on a banana peel. I told GO transit that the yellow strips on those stairs are worn off on most trains and there is no traction. Snow and ice is coming and maybe they should look into a way to make those stairs a little less slippery. Someone could get seriously injured and then they might have litigation on their hands instead of just a passenger making a safety improvement suggestion.
Do you think I got a letter back? A call to say "thanks for letting us know, we will look into it.? Anything?
Nothing but the sound of crickets and another bottle of antibiotics.
Does anyone really think GO will listen to a bunch a whiners at Clarkson?
That's too bad. I'm surprised that doesn't happen alot more. It probably does, we just don't hear about it. I'd bet GO would take notice had your letter come from a lawyer!
So, did the door donkeys do anything to help or just continue to guard their spots?
They asked if I was ok. I said yes and ran by in shame.
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