Better passenger service would require VIA Rail to gain priority over freight traffic on main lines, the CEO of the Crown agency yesterday told the Commons transport committee..“Railways dictate the priority,” testified Martin Landry, according to Blacklock's Reporter..“We deal in an environment where the host railways dictate the priorities of the trains,” said Landry. “They do provide an essential service to Canadians, moving a significant amount of goods and key contributors to the supply chain.”.“There is always this fine balance about who will ultimately win out,” said Landry..“As long as we live in this environment where there is mixed traffic and the host dictates the priorities we are unlikely to be able to provide the level of customer service we would like to provide.”.Landry was summoned to the transport committee as part of MPs’ investigation into a four-day shutdown of VIA Rail service over Christmas holidays. Thousands of travelers were stranded..VIA blamed a Canadian National Railway freight derailment that blocked tracks near Grafton, ON. and an accident near Cobourg, ON. that saw a tree fall on a VIA locomotive. Canadian National executives declined to testify at the committee..“Would you lay some of the blame for this event at the feet of Canadian National or government?” asked Liberal MP Churence Roges (Bonavista-Burin, Nfld. and Labrador)..“I don’t think it’s an issue of putting the blame,” replied Landry..“Frankly, it’s a combination of factors that created this situation,” said Landry. “A lot of us need to take stock of what happened and address the elements that are under our control,” he added..“When an airline has a delay or fails to get someone to their destination they have to pay $1,000 per passenger,” said Conservative MP Mark Strahl (Chilliwack-Hope, BC). “We’ve heard some difficulties in passengers getting that. Do you believe VIA Rail should be brought under similar passenger protection regulations where not only would you make them whole you would offer refunds and credits and vouchers?”.“We’d welcome a discussion around better passenger protection for rail passengers, but I think for it to be relevant I think it would be important to have the host railways as part of this process,” replied Landry..“We are so dependent on the host railways to deliver our service I think in order for us to improve the customer experience part of this will come through enacting rules and guidelines that would give, for example, greater priority for passenger train services so schedules could be met and avoid the need for penalties. The number of delays would be significantly reduced.”.Parliament created VIA Rail in 1978 as a passenger service formerly run by Canadian National Railway, which was then a Crown corporation. CN Rail was later privatized under the 1995 Canadian National Commercialization Act..Railways ship most of Canada’s surface freight including 80% of grain, oilseed and chemical exports, 75% of fertilizers and propane and more than 250 million tonnes of minerals, wood products, auto parts and other goods annually, by official estimate.
