To the Editor,
Re: Rail line an important transit link, Letters, May 3.
It’s time for this Island to wake up and get back on track. We own a railway that runs through all the major communities up and down Vancouver Island – what is our government thinking allowing this to disappear?
This potential closing of the E&N Railway sets us back 125 years. If we let it go now, we will never get it back, reverting us back to the dark ages – hardly progress in the 21st century.
There is still hope that we can move forward and have a more modern transportation system, like the rest of the world.
Fifteen million dollars (shared provincially and federally) is a small investment now, compared to the billions already being spent yearly on highway repairs, largely caused by the private enterprise truckers whom we are currently subsidizing.
We should be more aware of our environmental footprint.
In a cost-effective, environmentally conscious manner, rail transports dangerous goods, gravel, grain, timber, passengers, of course, and the list goes on.
It would be irresponsible to overlook a viable transportation option that already has infrastructure in place. Rail is used the world over for safe, efficient and environmentally friendly transportation. All aboard.
M.O. Time
Nanaimo
