Montreal’s REM train network not as accessible as promised, advocates say – Montreal | 24CA News
Some public transit customers with diminished mobility are upset with the lack of entry on the newly-built REM prepare stations.
CDPQ Infra, which owns and operates the Réseau categorical métropolitain, claims their stations are totally accessible, however those that foyer for common accessibility say that’s solely partially true.
It’s a easy elevator journey as much as the tracks on the newly-built REM stations, but when the elevator isn’t working, these with mobility points are out of luck.
“The REM launched on July 31 and starting on Aug. 6, the Gare Central elevator just broke down — it was never fixed,” mentioned Julien Gascon-Samson, who makes use of an electrical wheelchair to get round.
He says he purposely moved to Nuns’ Island to be near the REM so he might simply get to work downtown daily.
“It’s been 15 days so it’s just not possible for me to use the REM anymore,” mentioned Gascon-Samson. There isn’t any different public transit for him to make use of.
“If I go to Gare Central and the elevator breaks down while I am going there or something like that, there is no option. I need to come back to Nuns’ Island and go back home.”
The Regroupement des activistes pour l’inclusion au Québec (RAPLIQ), a company that advocates for common accessibility, says a damaged elevator is only one of many obstacles that customers like Julien are going through.
“There’s many different little issues that could have been settled right at the start,” says RAPLIQ’s normal director, Steven Laperrière.
“But now what we’re being told is make complaints and we’ll retrofit,” he added. Laperrière mentioned they had been consulted previous to constructing the REM stations years in the past however just for the trains.
He provides RAPLIQ additionally despatched in a big record of suggestions final spring that he feels had been utterly ignored.
“They haven’t been taken into consideration because zero has been done. And some of that is very simple stuff,” mentioned Laperrière.
Simple issues comparable to the dimensions of handicap parking areas, the peak of the machine to buy tickets, the width of sure corridors at Gare Central and indicators written in braille which might be too excessive.
“Why can’t we get things right here the first time,” added Laperrière. “Why are we consulted and then not listened to? It’s a waste of our time.”
As for Gascon-Samson, he hopes the elevator will likely be mounted as as quickly as attainable.
“I am lucky enough to have an adaptive van so I can drive the van, but I want to take public transit. I pay my OPUS card every month,” he mentioned.
CDPQ Infra, the corporate behind the REM didn’t reply to Global News’ request for remark earlier than deadline.
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