[W. K. Lis]

Those sales or leases are all because they were under orders of the former Mayor Rob Ford, who directed the sale of Toronto owned land for money.

 

[drum118]

One of the parking lots at Wilson Station was shut down yesterday. It was considered surplus place, along with some other lots. The lot is to be redeveloped for retail use.

It was a decision made a while back, and when the lot at Yorkdale re-opens in February, that should more than make up for the lost spaces.

Anyways, I came across an article which I think maybe gets some information wrong about future lot closures. Namely, that the Wilson South lot is closing next year and that Downsview lot is closing in a couple of years. Some other stations are mentioned...

Thoughts??

http://www.citynews.ca/2016/12/01/five-ttc-commuter-lots-shut/

The south Wilson Lot will see 2 development for it like the one that there now. There is a large development plan for Downsview.

There been plans floating around long before Ford became Mayor to convert these lots into Development site.

One only has to look at Victoria Park to see land set aside for a development when it surface that will pay for rebuilding a station that was falling apart. It also meets ODA standards where the old one would require 11 elevators to meet ODA standard. The same thing is to happen to Warren Station and was to happen a few years ago, but lack of funds is holding it back. TTC has another 6 years to start on it if its to meet the 2025 deadline.

Nice to see these lots go since they don't pay for themselves these days. Yorkdale will be only a drop in the bucket for space.

 

[Johnny Au]

How would the low-income discount be applied to Presto?

 

[rbt]

How would the low-income discount be applied to Presto?

You mean technically? Flag on the account (copied to the card at a tap sync event) giving them a different rate category. TTC fare categories would be Child, Student, Senior, Adult, and Discount Adult.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Meanwhile...

From link:

London to Phase Out Diesel Buses From 2018 to Tackle ‘Toxic’ Air

London Mayor Sadiq Khan pledged to stop buying double-decker buses that run purely on diesel from 2018, as part of his drive to clean up the capital’s toxic air.

In addition, all new single-deck buses will be zero-emission, Khan’s office said in an e-mailed statement on Wednesday. The mayor also unveiled the world’s first double-deck hydrogen-fueled bus, manufactured by Wrightbus, and said it will be trialled on London’s roads next year.

Khan is working with officials from other cities around the world to phase out polluting buses and spur the development of zero- and low-emission buses by driving down their costs. Eleven other cities, including New York, Amsterdam and Cape Town, have vowed to phase out the procurement of diesel buses by 2020, with Paris, Madrid and Mexico City pledging to end their use by 2025, his office said.

“It’s great that more cities are getting on board to phase out the procurement of pure diesel buses, which sends a clear signal that only the cleanest technologies are wanted in our cities,” Khan said.

Khan has made cleaning up the capital’s air pollution, blamed for 9,400 early deaths a year, a priority of his tenure. Since becoming mayor in May, he’s ended the use of the dirtiest buses on some of London’s most polluted roads, proposed an emissions surcharge for the most polluting vehicles on top of the capital’s existing congestion charge and announced plans to extend London’s “Ultra-Low Emission Zone.”

In addition, from this link:

Ban on diesel planned in 4 of world's biggest cities

Four of the world's largest and most polluted cities have decided to ban diesel cars and trucks from their streets by 2025.

The mayors of Paris, Mexico City, Madrid and Athens announced the commitment in Mexico City on Friday at the C40 Mayors' Summit, a meeting of city leaders.

Mayors of large American cities pledged climate leadership at the same summit, despite president-elect Donald Trump's position that there is too much regulation to protect the environment.

Nitrogen oxide and respiratory problems
The diesel ban is meant to address concerns about air quality, as diesel engines are responsible for emitting particulates into the air at ground level, as well as emitting nitrogen oxides.

Nitrogen oxides can help form ground-level ozone, which can lead to breathing difficulties for some people with respiratory problems.

The World Health Organization says seven million deaths every year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution.

The cities plan to promote walking and cycling, and encourage alternative fuels for diesel-using trucks, taxis and delivery vehicles. It's not known if the bans would be only in city centres or would affect wider areas.

The scandal involving Volkswagen's cheating on emissions tests for its diesel vehicles has focused attention on the role of the fuel in air pollution.

Plans for low emissions zones
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has proposed an ultra-low emission zone in central London by 2019, an area within which all cars, motorcycles, vans, minibuses, buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles would need to meet stringent exhaust emission standards or pay a fee. Any fee would be added on top of London's existing congestion charge.

He has also proposed expanding the zone London-wide for trucks, buses and coaches. The proposals will go to London council sometime in 2017.

Such a zone started in Paris in July 2015. All vehicles must have an air quality certificate before they enter the zone.

"Mayors have already stood up to say that the climate change is one of the greatest challenges we face," said Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, now chair of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.

"Today, we also stand up to say we no longer tolerate air pollution and the health problems and deaths it causes — particularly for our most vulnerable citizens."

Mexico City, with more than 25 million inhabitants and more than four million private vehicles, is extremely concerned with air quality. The city's policy of restricting which cars can enter the city by the last number of their licence plate exempts low emission vehicles, but it is looking to new ways to control pollution.

Cities want nations to help regulate
Mexico City Mayor Miguel Ángel Mancera said he has planned increased investments in public transport.

Athens also restricts vehicles from the city centre by plate number, but now Mayor Giorgos Kaminis says his goal was to remove all cars from the city centre.

Madrid has discussed a low emissions zone, but has yet to move forward on the plan.

The cities said they planned to work with federal regulators and manufacturers to promote electric vehicles and other clean alternatives, and move toward taking diesel vehicles off all roads.

There could be a return to electric buses and non-petroleum buses. Something the TTC (and City Council) should be made aware of.

Those "world class"cities would include the banning of diesel trucks in their downtown. Which would include even diesel school buses. In the short term, gasoline powdered vehicles would be allowed, but eventually even all petroleum based vehicles would be banned from the downtown.

 

[Johnny Au]

You mean technically? Flag on the account (copied to the card at a tap sync event) giving them a different rate category. TTC fare categories would be Child, Student, Senior, Adult, and Discount Adult.

How would one be eligible for "Discount Adult" pricing for Presto (especially those eligible for the third phase)? Submitting copies of payslips to Metrolinx?

Me, as an ODSP recipient, I would be eligible for the first phase.

 

[rbt]

How would one be eligible for "Discount Adult" pricing for Presto (especially those eligible for the third phase)? Submitting copies of payslips to Metrolinx?

TTC requires you to apply for Child/Student/Senior rates in person at Davisville; their staff add the flag to the account. I expect you'll be required to bring some documentation (tax return seems like the obvious document, and photo ID) to the Davisville location.


If they're really clever by Phase 3 in 2021 they'll get the Presto website to hook into esdc.gc.ca as an authorized client (same as your tax-return software) and you wont have to apply in person.

 

[APTA-2048]

Meanwhile...

From link:

London to Phase Out Diesel Buses From 2018 to Tackle ‘Toxic’ Air



In addition, from this link:

Ban on diesel planned in 4 of world's biggest cities



There could be a return to electric buses and non-petroleum buses. Something the TTC (and City Council) should be made aware of.

The TTC is well aware.

 

[W. K. Lis]

The TTC is well aware.

Not the suburban Councillors it seems, nor some auto-addicted politicians.

 

[BurlOak]

With the opening of the Evergreen Line in Vancouver, I noticed that Toronto is #3 in Canada (according to Wiki) in terms of grade-separated rapid transit (i.e. subway).

Vancouver - 79.5 km.
Montreal - 69.2 km.
Toronto - 68.3 km.

 

[44 North]

With the opening of the Evergreen Line in Vancouver, I noticed that Toronto is #3 in Canada (according to Wiki) in terms of grade-separated rapid transit (i.e. subway).

Vancouver - 79.5 km.
Montreal - 69.2 km.
Toronto - 68.3 km.

We're effectively #2, since tysse is practically finished. But the real one to keep your eyes on is Montreal. If REM is built as proposed they'd probably remain number one for half a century with 136km. Even with DRL phases 1-3 and YN we'd still come nowhere close, not to mention get dinged with SSE by losing some length and stations.

 

[M II A II R II K]

Perhaps the next subway trains can adopt that colour scheme as well.

 

[TransitBart]

We're effectively #2, since tysse is practically finished. But the real one to keep your eyes on is Montreal. If REM is built as proposed they'd probably remain number one for half a century with 136km. Even with DRL phases 1-3 and YN we'd still come nowhere close, not to mention get dinged with SSE by losing some length and stations.

Actually, with TYSSE and the underground portion of ECLRT / Line 5, that would vault us back to #1. But the point is that we should be miles ahead and we're not. Bring on the Relief Line. And then let's set some priorities after that.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

We're effectively #2, since tysse is practically finished. But the real one to keep your eyes on is Montreal. If REM is built as proposed they'd probably remain number one for half a century with 136km. Even with DRL phases 1-3 and YN we'd still come nowhere close, not to mention get dinged with SSE by losing some length and stations.

But doesn't the Montreal REM share more characteristics with RER than subway rapid transit? Average stop spacing on the REM is 2.5 km, and it uses existing land rail line. Train frequency specified looks to be quite similar to RER as well (looking at frequency of the branches).

 

[TheTigerMaster]

With the opening of the Evergreen Line in Vancouver, I noticed that Toronto is #3 in Canada (according to Wiki) in terms of grade-separated rapid transit (i.e. subway).

Vancouver - 79.5 km.
Montreal - 69.2 km.
Toronto - 68.3 km.

This will be short lived. Toronto's grade separated rapid transit network will be 84 km by 2021, 90 km by 2030ish. If we want to be really particular, we could also point out that the service quality of Crosstown West will be quite similar to subway rapid transit (more or less identical spacing and speed), which would boost Toronto's rapid transit network size to a little less than 100 km before 2030.

Of course i'm not making any excuses for Toronto. Toronto needs to get its act together on the Relief Line extensions to Sheppard East and west through the Downtown core. It was only months ago that funding arrived to progress these critical extensions to "shovel-ready" status.