Capital region mayors eye Victoria-Langford commuter train service

Municipal leaders explore idea of using E&N line

Some mayors are discussing banding together to get a commuter train operating between Langford and Victoria.

Victoria council endorsed a resolution to explore the viability of running a commuter train on the E&N rail line as an inter-municipal service that’s perhaps operated through B.C. Transit.

With the pending construction of the McKenzie interchange threatening to disrupt commuter traffic, mayors from Victoria, View Royal, Esquimalt and Langford, along with representatives of the Bayview and Westhills developments, have been discussing ways to run a commuter train on the tracks, Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps told councillors.

Each of the mayors has committed to taking the idea to their respective councils for support.

“It’s very general. Conversations will happen with the [Capital Regional District] in terms of the inter-municipal service, or potentially with B.C. Transit as a sub-transit commission,” Helps said.

“It’s very preliminary. I think what we’re looking for is an expression of support from all of our councils … to further explore this question.”

Coun. Ben Isitt, CRD representative to the Island Corridor Foundation, which owns the E&N corridor, said he strongly endorses the idea.

“B.C. Transit jumps out” as a potential operator, he said.

But because involving B.C. Transit could require “a circuitous path,” an interim operating arrangement involving the cities of Victoria and Langford is an excellent way to go, Isitt said.

For the past five years, the foundation has been trying to restore passenger rail service on the E&N line, which runs between Victoria and Courtenay through Langford.

Passenger rail service was halted in March 2011 because of safety concerns arising from inadequate track upkeep.

Isitt said that the foundation is open to providing some of its funds for the section of track between Langford and Victoria.

Many elements are in place for a passenger rail service, he said.

With leadership from Victoria and Langford, there is no reason “we can’t have an interim service, a pilot service underway in the very near term.”

Langford Mayor Stew Young said he’s taking a cautious approach to the idea, and wants to see a business case with a cost per seat before getting on board.

“What’s the financial case for it? What’s the cost per seat to do it? That’s all I want to know. Then let the public decide whether we should be pursuing this or not or doing something else with the corridor,” Young said.

“Right now everybody is saying: ‘Run the train. Run the train,’ and I’m just cautioning everybody that we better find out what it costs.”

A new luxury commuter bus, being subsidized by Langford, completed test runs last week and officially launched Monday.

The service was created to help reduce vehicle traffic during construction of the McKenzie interchange, and as an alternative to the basic bus service offered by B.C. Transit.