Faulty Transpo Revealed At Inquest: MULVIHILL

The victims and their families deserve so much more than the City of Ottawa’s cold, heartless response to the inquiry results.

The recent coroner’s inquest into the fatal 2019 Westboro bus crash that took the lives of three passengers and injured 23 others has ended with 60 recommendations, the majority of which were directed at the City of Ottawa and OC Transpo.

Perhaps what the public didn’t know was that there had been 11 collisions at that same station in the previous five years. And yet no mention was made publicly and nothing had been done to ensure the station was made safer for buses or passengers. High on the list of recommendations was the removal of canopies and the installation of physical barriers to prevent contact with the station. The City of Ottawa kept the canopy there until the Westboro station was replaced in LRT construction. Nevertheless, the City of Ottawa knew of the danger that existed and didn’t address the main safety problem … the canopy.

Driver training was highlighted given that OC Transpo driver was involved in a bus crash just a month prior to the Westboro accident. How much training is provided to new drivers and how much retraining is slated for all others?

Political pressure to ensure fluid transit operation was brought up during the inquest. One must wonder exactly what that political pressure was and which politician was applying said pressure. Political pressure above public safety is a non-starter any day of the week.

Do better City of Ottawa.

Donna Mulvihill is a community activist and former hospital coordinator

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