City administrators and an American consultant have concluded that diesels are more accessible and reliable. They have painted a picture of a trolley system that is expensive and prone to disruptions. But the claims have been countered by the Edmonton Transit System Advisory Board, which is urging council to include the continued operation of trolley buses in the city's ten year financial plan.

Citizens for Better Transit, longtime strong supporters of investment in quality public transit, charges that the study of Edmontons trolley system has not been comprehensive enough. A study this spring looked at some of the costs of the system but failed to assess the value of the trolley infrastructure, with 140 kilometres of wire, 4,600 poles and eight power substations, as a capital asset. When Vancouver conducted a study into its trolley system, it placed a value of $184 million on its infrastructure and that value was a factor in the city's recent decision to purchase 228 new trolley buses.

At a public hearing June 23rd, transit managers got an earful from residents determined to save the trolley system. Nearly 60 of them jammed into the hearing room and, for four hours speaker after speaker 22 in all hammered at the proposal, which could be put into action as early as this summer. Not a single one of them sided with the citys transit managers, who have long been ready to close the book on the long and distinguished story of electric trolley bus use in Edmonton.

The electrically powered vehicles, which run on power lines suspended above the street, have been a part of Edmonton's transit system for 66 years. The first trolley was put into service in 1938, making Edmonton the third Canadian city to use the modern trolley bus, after Toronto and Montreal.

Among those who spoke at the public hearing were a trolley driver and a mechanic, who believe abandoning the trolleys would be a decision of historic consequences. Two representatives from the ETS Advisory Board also pointed out errors and oversights in the consultant's report, ranging from mistakes in the emissions analysis to glaring oversights in the cost analysis.

They castigated administrators for failing to maximize the use of the trolley system as directed by council in 1993, noting that trolley use is now nearly half the levels 11 years ago. The Board pointed out that trolleys could operate in construction zones by using auxiliary power units (APUs), designed to power the trolleys in the event of power failure, but that five of six units purchased with taxpayer dollars, have never even been installed.

The reality is that, despite all the spin being spun by Edmonton Transit and the city administration, there are ways to keep the trolleys and capitalize on potential sources of government assistance. While Edmonton is talking about abandoning its trolley system, other cities are expanding theirs. They include not only Vancouver but also Seattle, San Francisco, Boston and Dayton, Ohio.

Although their operations are less flexible than that of motor buses, trolley buses are much quieter and less polluting. They also operate better on hills, can require lower maintenance and tend to be longer lasting than motor buses. Modern trolley buses have APUs and are available in low floor designs, enabling persons with mobility challenges to board and exit more easily.

The American study contains no noise impact assessment and, for anyone living or working right next to a bus route, the higher noise generated by diesels is a significant factor. Diesel exhaust is known to be a strong carcinogen and a contributor to respiratory problems, heart disease and birth defects. Diesel buses release their emissions in the streets, where they are not only inhaled by pedestrians and transit users, but also are drawn into nearby buildings through ventilation systems.

The Canadian Government states there is no safe level of exposure to particle emissions, and recommends avoiding particle exposure. The consultants' report says very little about in-street emissions, focussing instead on what it calls "area-wide" emissions. But the study does acknowledge that people waiting at diesel bus stops are exposed to particle emissions up to 40 times higher than the levels in ambient air. Diesel buses only add to the pollution in a city that is the asthma capital of Canada.

Edmonton's Transportation Master Plan, adopted by Council in 1999, pledges that the impacts of transportation on the community will be reduced or mitigated. But replacing trolleys with diesels would actually increase environmental impact, adding noise and vehicle emissions to our streets.

The report states that trolley use is in a downward trend and cites Hamiltons and Torontos decisions to shut down their systems in 1992 and 1993. But the document neglects to mention that Toronto Transit Commission Chair Howard Moscoe later called the move a regrettable mistake.

Trolley afficionado Doug Cowan, who knows more about buses than most anyone I have ever met, rightly says Edmontons trolleys are a historical asset that could again become a real feature of pride in the city if city managers took some pride in them. Cowan suggest the buses should be painted in their original red and green colours, making them a fantastic tourist attraction.

In a time everyone is searching for environmentally friendly solutions to urban problems, Edmonton already has one in its own backyard. But city administrators, in a misguided and narrow-minded approach to decision making, are ready to abandon it.

City council should do exactly what every other council has done in the last 65 years and keep the trolley system alive. Councillors should show foresight and vision and make the system, significant as an attraction by its very survival, a centrepiece in a green and prosperous city. They should direct Edmonton Transit to invest in new trolleys and put the necessary resources in place to help the system thrive, instead of starving it and hoping it will die a slow death.

If you'd like to offer your thoughts, please drop me an email at lawrenceherzog@hotmail.com. For information on reprints of previously published articles, check out my website at www.lawrenceherzog.com.