The discontent rises among users of public transport on the South Shore of Montreal, who say they are abandoned by the authorities responsible for the project of the Metropolitan Express Network (REM), in particular because of the poor service offered.
• Read also: New tile for REM, in the center of a pursuit of $ 138 million
A prosecution of $ 138 million was also brought against two engineering firms which were mandated to put the REM on the rails.
The Nouvlr consortium criticizes Atkinsrelis and Aecom for having misused certain essential elements of the REM project, which would have led to an underestimation of construction costs and frequent breakdowns. Among the poorly anticipated aspects are the snow barriers, the noise walls, the excavation work, the quantity of steel required as well as the electricity distribution system.
“There is someone who did not do their job adequately. That, that is certain, “said Jean-Michel Laliberté, spokesperson for the association for the public transport of the South Shore (ATCRS) on Thursday.
In an interview at the microphone of Benoît Dutrizac broadcast at Qub Radio and Télé, Mr. Laliberté pleaded the cause of residents of the South Shore who must go to the island of Montreal, whose quality of services has won since the opening of the REM.
• On the same subject, listen to this Balado episode drawn from the Benoit Dutrizac program, broadcast on the QB platforms and simultaneously on the 99.5 FM Montreal:
-“It is sure that what has been delivered does not meet the needs,” he said. It does not have a common sense that the REM is forced to close the [lorsqu’il] there is wind. Wind, it is not a surprising phenomenon in Quebec, either snow. ”
Since the opening of the Brossard connecting section in downtown Montreal in 2023, the REM is the victim of many breakdowns.
“From the point of view of the user, it is problematic because indeed, […] We don’t even know tomorrow morning if the REM will be in office or not. It is very angry, ”said the spokesperson for the ATCRS.
And alternative solutions are limited since the CDPQ INFRA, the subsidiary of the Caisse de Dépôt which manages the REM, heard with the Regional Metropolitan Transport Authority (ARTM) so that no bus can follow the same route as the REM.
“They concluded this agreement with the cash register. Now when the cash register is unable to deliver the service, […] We don’t even know if there will be a direct bus service, said Laliberté. Presumably, it is very possible that users are taken to make a correspondence in the stations of the REM. So the service that worked well before is no longer offered, even when the REM is not in office. ”
Listen to the interview with Jean-Michel Laliberté in the sound extract above.
