No answer from Ottawa city officials on when LRT will run again

As Ottawa transit riders endurea second week without access to thelight rail system, city officials are no closer to providing a concrete answer for whenservice will resume.

When asked Monday when riders could reasonably expect to get back on the LRT, aspokesperson for the city told CBC there was "no update at this time."

The LRT has been out of service since a train derailed on Sept. 19 before entering Tremblay station. On that day,Rideau Transit Maintenance (RTM) CEO Mario Guerra told reportersthe Confederation Line wouldlikely remain out of service for at least a week. The very next day, that answerchanged to an estimated three weeks.

Since then, there has been no confirmation of when a return to service for Ottawa's LRTis expected.RTMwill need tosatisfy an independent safety expert with its plan to resume operations before service can re-start.

• LRT fix could take 3 weeks after latest derailment
• LRT shut down again after 2nd train derailment since August

Rerouted busesleaving 'vulnerable folks' behind

In the meantime, as part of anongoing effort to enhance the R1 service, OC Transpocreated direct trips between downtown andBlair stationduring the morning and afternoon rush hours. All R1 buses will also bypassCyrville station.

In total, 148 trips over 23 routes have been withdrawn to support the R1 service. Mathieu Fleury, city counsellor forRideau-Vanier Ward, which includes Lowertown, Sandy Hill and Vaniersaid nearly half of those routesare within his ward and is looking to the city for answers.

"It basically exposes, from my perspective, the 'we're stealing from Paul to give to Peter here' in terms of service to transit," Fleury said.

Fleury said "ultimately we're leaving very vulnerable folks at bus stops" with many riders beingnewcomers, elderly people, essential workers and students who have "very few other options."

• Frustration building as transit users head into week 2 without LRT

Following September's LRT derailment, Mayor Jim Watson recently announced a proposal for free transit for the month of December that will be voted on at the next council meeting a move that advocates say isn't enough to make up for the ongoing problem with the system.

"We have to find ways of making the system run reliably and safely," said Transport Action Canada spokespersonDavid Jeanes.

"Shutting down the backbone of our transit system for three weeks or moreis really unimaginable in any other city in the world," Jeanes said."I can't imagine that the public will feel that a month of free transit is compensation for that."