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News Release

April 20, 2007

GO Transit to Offer Express Route Between U of G, Toronto

Getting to and from the University of Guelph from the greater Toronto area will be much easier beginning this fall. The University has teamed up with GO Transit to offer new routes that will start and end on campus.

GO will offer a new express route between U of G and Square One in Mississauga and the Cooksville GO Station. The non-stop buses will leave approximately on the hour during working hours Monday to Friday, in addition to an evening trip.

GO is also extending its existing Highway 407 express bus route that serves its Meadowvale and Bramalea GO stations and York University.

Both express routes will also serve a new GO park-and-ride lot that will be located in Aberfoyle at Brock and McLean roads, north of the 401. Multi-ride tickets and passes will be available for both routes, allowing riders to save up to 40 per cent. Schedules and fares for these new services will be available in mid-summer.

“The University of Guelph is an important destination for GO bus services,” said GO Transit chair Peter Smith. “We are very pleased to be working together with the University to improve and expand services for students and other GO customers.”

Ian Weir, Guelph’s manager of parking services and transportation planning, added: “This is wonderful news for U of G students, faculty and staff and for the entire Guelph community. We are anticipating growth in the number of travellers using transit services to the University, and these new express routes will provide members of the University and local communities with improved services and greater access.”

U of G will be creating a transit hub within the entrance mall area in front of the University Centre to accommodate the increased bus service. This will involve building new passenger platforms and bus bays, improving sidewalks, creating barrier-free ramps, installing new lighting and building new bus shelters. When the project is complete, vehicular traffic on the mall will be restricted to buses and emergency vehicles, says Weir.

P42, the new parking lot south of the University Centre, will have an expanded passenger pick-up/drop-off area, along with barrier-free parking spaces and short-term parking meters. P1, located near the Axelrod Building, will also provide additional barrier-free spaces.

“The new transit hub is intended to create a safer, more efficient, environmentally friendly and barrier-free environment,” said Weir.

As part of the overall initiative, the City of Guelph and Greyhound Canada will also be improving bus services to campus.