Delicate TTC tracks means slow subways are ‘new normal,’ advocacy group worries

The TTC has introduced restricted speed zones in places where 'certain defects have been documented' in order to reduce the wear and tear older portions of track suffer.

Advocates are raising concerns that a web of restricted speed zones across Toronto’s transit network is making slow subways the city’s “new normal” as the rail system shows its age.

The TTC has introduced restricted speed zones for trains in places where “certain defects have been documented” in order to reduce the wear and tear suffered by older portions of the track.

A survey completed by the transit in May launched a new round of restricted speed zones, with 18 new spots on Line 1: Yonge-University and seven on Line 2: Bloor Danforth. The TTC said that, since then, 65 of the 85 zones have been removed with repairs and upgrades.

Since 2023, there have been a total of 296 reduced speed zones across the TTC’s subway lines.

The advocacy group TTC Riders, however, said the number of slow zones was “unprecedented” and impacting the usefulness of the network for commuters.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry, but it is not OK for slow subways to become our new normal,” the group said in a statement to Global News.

“We are glad the TTC is taking safety seriously and inspecting subway tracks more frequently, but the large number of slow zones and long repair timelines raise questions about whether the TTC has enough resources to do proper maintenance and repairs.”

A recent TTC report said the biggest impact on the subway was for those travelling southbound from Wilson Station to Union Station on Line 1. A map shows seven slow zones in place between the two stations adding two minutes per zone — for a total delay of just over 14 minutes on a single journey.