Edmonton’s mayor is echoing the frustrations of a number of transit riders in the city, as a number of escalators at certain LRT stations seem to often be shut down for repairs.
“The performance is just unacceptable on the system,” Mayor Don Iveson said Wednesday.
Iveson said he has heard frustrations from many LRT riders who have been dealing with apparently continuous problems at LRT stations such as Century Park.
“It’s not good enough for our citizens, which means it’s not good enough for me,” Iveson said.
City officials said the equipment is aging, and it can take longer than expected to replace needed parts.
“The parts have been an issue in the past,” Phil Henry, with LRT Facilities Maintenance said. “Escalators are at an age where the steps are no longer commercially available, so they basically have to be remanufactured.”
Meanwhile, harsh conditions in Edmonton are also being called a factor, as crews often have to deal with the aftermath of damage rocks and sand deal to the mechanics of the escalators.
The Mayor said he’s having administration look at the issue.
“If we have to spend some money to fix the bloody escalators then I want to know how much we have to spend,” Iveson said.
With files from Danelle Boivin
