“I’ve complained to them many times.”
It’s been just over a week since streetcars returned to part of the 512 St. Clair route. In last Thursday’s column I expressed concern about difficulty boarding buses and streetcars around the St. Clair West subway stop.
Dorrett Reynolds of Toronto sent me several examples of missing or out-of-date bus stop signs — a situation she feels has left some riders confused and frustrated.
Heather Spencer of Toronto writes, “The TTC are full of it when they say they haven’t received many complaints. Do they think (that) by the time people get to and from work that they want to contact the TTC, knowing that nothing would be done anyways? Did it ever occur to them to check with the TTC staff that are directing people in the St. Clair West subway station every morning and night? I’ve complained to them many times.”
Sylvie Doucet of Toronto writes that throughout the street and track reconstruction project along St. Clair, “I have contacted the TTC numerous times, as well as my MPP — to no avail — about the many problems we are faced with, such as not informing customers of stop changes, where to catch the bus, no sidewalks, etc.”
TTC vice-chair and local councillor Joe Mihevc has not received any complaints since the reintroduction of streetcars.
He says, “Before, when the (road) construction was happening, it was tough — it was really tough. So I think people have become acclimatized, a little bit, that this is a changed environment — and they’re just so happy to see the streetcar back.”
As for posters to direct patrons to new loading areas, he admits, “The signage has never been the best, but certainly the first few days they had individuals directing people, and I think that was very helpful.”
Mihevc uses the station daily and has been looking to see if lost patrons are lining up at the collector‚s booth for help. “There hasn’t been a big flood,” he says. “I think people kind of figure it out, and they also ask one other. So I don’t think it has been this big chaos at all — and certainly (not) compared to the chaos during the construction.”
TTC officials state that signage problems can be reported directly to a full-time supervisor who is posted at St Clair W. until Feb. 18. As the St. Clair streetcar project proceeds westward over the next few years, riders should stay ahead of changes by visiting www.ttc.ca — look through the “Service Disruptions” and “Construction” pages for updates.
