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Complaints about sluggish TTC subway service continue to roll in

It's been a few weeks now since some TTC riders have faced slower-than-normal subway commutes, all thanks to "reduced speed zones," which have slowed down trains to 15 kilometres per hour on portions of track, well below their average speed of 40 to 50 kilometres per hour. 

According to the transit agency, the reduced speed zones were introduced following the discovery that sections of the tracks on Line 1 Yonge-University and Line 2 Bloor-Danforth required "state-of-good-repair" needs. 

Although the TTC noted in a recent update that crews have made significant progress in lifting speed restrictions along more than 850 metres of track on Line 1 and Line 2, complaints regarding spotty service continue to roll in. 

"Subway Operators may be asked by Transit Control to reduce their speed through a certain area of the subway system as a safety precaution due to crews at track level or ongoing maintenance being performed on the tracks," the transit agency wrote in a March 8 advisory

While the list of affected zones throughout the transit system continues to be regularly updated on the TTC's website, there are still multiple areas where reduced speed zones are in effect on Lines 1 and 2 at the time of publication: 

Line 1 (Yonge-University)
  • Northbound from Bloor to Rosedale
  • Northbound from York Mills to Sheppard
  • Northbound from St Clair to Davisville
  • Northbound from Union to King
  • Southbound from St Andrew to Union
  • Southbound from Davisville to St Clair
Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth)
  • Eastbound from Castle Frank to Chester

Despite the existing zones, the TTC notes that riders are experiencing faster commutes between Glencairn and Lawrence West stations, and Summerhill and St Clair stations on Line 1, and between Victoria Park and Warden stations on Line 2.

Lead photo by

Sascha Badwah/Shutterstock


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