A rally in Cobourg, Ont., to show support for the return of Via Rail commuter train service from Toronto to Kingston is back on track.
The “Via Day of Action” was originally scheduled on Sept. 9, but was postponed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The rally has been rescheduled for Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Via Rail station at 563 Division St. from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Supported by Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Philip Lawrence and MPP David Piccini, the event is asking the company to restore Train 651 which served the Toronto to Kingston corridor. The route was suspended during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic due to a drop in ridership. It is one of a few to have been restored when routes were reopened this summer.
An extensive survey was released this month highlighting eastern Ontario residents’ high interest in utilizing the route and potential future new users. Entitled “The Case for Getting VIA Train 651 Back on Track,” the report was a joint project of municipalities in Eastern Ontario that includes the counties of Northumberland and Hastings, and the cities of Quinte West, Belleville and Kingston.
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Via Rail has stated it continues to review a dozen routes that didn’t return in June, including Train 651.
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