Commuter train service serving suburbs west of downtown will receive an $80 million boost and more trains per day, it was announced at a press conference in downtown Montreal Monday.

Transportation Minister Robert Poeti committed the cash to the project but noted that it could take up to two years to get new rolling stock delivered to add extra trains to the tracks.

There is currently no train service after 9:15 p.m. and few trains on off-peak hours.

“The last one in the afternoon is the 12:30 train and after that they only have one at 3:30 and I think that's not good at all,” said one commuter.

“There could be some more often because if not you have to take the bus and it stops at Ste. Anne de Bellevue,” said another.

The train service stretches off island; the Vaudreuil-Hudson line has a stop in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, before continuing to the communities of Ile Perrot, Pincourt, Dorion, Vaudreuil and Hudson.

The $80 million investment would likely add about two or three more trips per day.

The hitch is the tracks are owned by Canadian Pacific, which uses the line for freight. The Train de l’Ouest project proposes building new tracks, allowing rides to increase to 450 per day from the current 150.

Improvements would include faster service, a link to the airport.

Train de l’Ouest spokesperson Clifford Lincoln was pleased with Poeti’s announcement, despite the time delay.

 

“He's put $80 million into improving our service,” he said. “It will include buying new equipment so that takes time.”

Poeti said he would look into speeding up the project.

“I’m going to receive the information about the AMT. I'm going to ask them and we're going to ask the AMT to go faster,” he said.

Town of Baie D’Urfe Mayor Maria Tutino was one of many excited by the news but said that she is among those who are lobbying the minister to purchase pre-owned trains that would be delivered fast at a cheaper cost.

“For us the service is more important than the type, so he’s looking into it,” she told CTV Montreal.

Advocates of an improved Train de l’Ouest would ideally like about $1 billion injected in a massive overhaul, but they were encouraged nonetheless.

The previous Parti Quebecois government was cautious about adding money to the line, as they argued that the cost didn’t justify the expense.

Prior to that, the Charest Liberals had said that it put $874 million aside for a three-year plan for the

 Vaudreuil-Hudson commuter train line.

West Island mayors say they plan to continue pushing for more firm commitment for better mass transit, particularly before construction on the Turcotte Interchange begins, bringing with it a likely traffic nightmare on Highway 20.