The Agence metropolitaine de transport (AMT) is set to launch a pilot project next year, where it will begin charging for parking at five stations along its Two Mountains rail line.
The agency has not yet announced exactly which five stations will be chosen for the project.
The Two Mountains rail line is currently the AMT’s most heavily travelled, serving roughly 45 per cent of its passengers commuting to and from Montreal. The line’s popularity is reflected in the over-crowding of the parking lots of stations located alongside it.
The AMT says it hopes this new project will help address the issue of over-populated parking lots, by encouraging commuters to either pay for parking, walk or bike to the station.
Commuters have voiced concerns with the new project, saying that the cost of their train pass is already enough.
“I would not like to pay any fees because I pay enough taxes to them, and I also pay for my pass for the year,” said one commuter.
Another of the line’s users speculated that the initiative would see an increase in people driving downtown, to avoid paying the new fees.
The AMT will be purchasing the Two Mountains line from CN, which will result in scheduling modifications to accommodate both commuter and freight train traffic.
This change is expected to see increased commuter train service, which could stand to further increase the issue of over-crowding of the line’s parking lots.
