The province has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a report outlining the viability of commuter rail service between the Westshore and Victoria’s Vic West neighbourhood.

 

The RFP, due to be completed by the end of July, will assess the feasibility of a commuter train, transit bus, multi-purpose path or a combination of two or three transportation modes along a portion of the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway (E&N) right-of-way. An ideal commuter rail service, as identified by local transportation planners and governments, would connect Langford’s Westhills community and the eastern edge of Vic West.

 

In addition to identifying a mode (or modes) of transport along the E&N corridor, the province has also outlined a requirement for an evaluation of any transportation undertaking on financial, customer service, economic, environmental and safety-conscious grounds.

 

On March 9th the province announced a desire to formally study the viability of a commuter rail network along the E&N corridor. Transportation Minister Todd Stone confirmed the Liberal government had “formed a working group” with the goal of “finally [getting] on with commuter rail between Langford and Vic West.”

 

Passenger rail services along the corridor were cancelled in 2013 following years of track neglect and what some referred to as lacklustre scheduling.

 

At-present the majority of the E&N network is unused save for a portion of track in Nanaimo. However, despite being the most widely publicized local railroad, active rail services do exist on Vancouver Island as part of the Englewood Railway, a nearly 100 kilometre-long logging line that originates south of Woss and terminates near Telegraph Cove.