LRT service has 'turned the corner' following 54-day shutdown, Mayor Watson says
CTV
You can watch CTV News Ottawa chief anchor Graham Richardson's year-end interview with Mayor Jim Watson during CTV News at Six Monday and Tuesday.
In a year-end interview with CTV News Ottawa chief anchor Graham Richardson, Watson said the 54-day shutdown of the LRT system was "a very challenging time" for the city.
"Up until those two derailments in August and September, we had about a year and a half of very good service – 98.5 (per cent), I think, reliability. But then those two incidents came and it hurt the credibility of the organization, of the consortium and the public were just fed up, who were having to go on to R1 buses," said Watson.
"We've turned the corner, I believe, with a new safety team in place, a new management team and we've now seen about six or seven weeks of very good service on Confederation Line. But we need not just six or seven weeks, we need six or seven months, then six or seven years of very good service."
On Aug. 8, an LRT car derailed near Tunney's Pasture Station and the Confederation Line was shutdown for five days while the fleet of cars were inspected. An investigation concluded issues with the axle bearing assembly was to blame.
