Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, and Mission commuters could be without the West Coast Express later this week amid a national railway labour dispute.
TransLink says the West Coast Express may not operate starting Aug. 22 if a lockout occurs due to a labour dispute between CPKC and its union.
Over 3,000 commuters use the West Coast Express daily and the shutdown would be indefinite until the CPKC lockout ends, TransLink says.
"If a lockout occurs, West Coast Express will not be able to run because it operates on rail owned by CPKC and cannot operate without CPKC’s dispatchers and rail workers," TransLink said.
Additional bus service will be added to connect customers to and from SkyTrain at Coquitlam Central Station if the West Coast Express is unable to operate
This supplemental bus service will leave from Mission City Station in the morning at 5:25, 5:55, 6:25, 6:55, and 7:25 a.m., then from Port Haney Station at approximately 5:53, 6:23, 6:53, 7:23, and 7:53 a.m.
The return buses will leave from Coquitlam Central Station at 4:50, 5:20, 5:50, 6:30, and 7:20 p.m. later in the day.
For riders who typically board at Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, or Maple Meadows, TransLink recommends taking the R3, Route 701, or 791 buses, which will all connect to the SkyTrain at Coquitlam Central Station.
TransLink says it will continue updating customers through its channels.
Nationally, more than 32,000 rail commuters will have to find new routes to the office if a work stoppage kicks off at Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. this week.
Transit authorities say select commuter lines that run on CPKC tracks in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver will be suspended should dispatchers walk off the job at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Thursday alongside 3,200 other workers.
The railway has said it will lock out employees unless a new contract is reached or the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference agrees to binding arbitration — a path the union has rejected. The Teamsters have also issued a 72-hour strike notice, which would kick in at the same time.
A phased shutdown of the networks at both CPKC and Canadian National Railway Co. is already underway as the clock ticks down on negotiations between both companies and the union. Canadian Pacific barred virtually all new shipments on Tuesday morning, with CN planning to do the same Wednesday to avoid leaving any goods stranded on the tracks.''
-With files from The Canadian Press
