TTC looking at options as Scarborough RT remains out of service following derailment

The review into the Scarborough RT derailment is taking longer than expected.

Stuart Green, the spokesperson for TTC, told CTV News Toronto he initially thought it would take three weeks, but it appears it will be a couple more.

"We have three external consultants in who are helping us in three areas: track, the infrastructure itself (like power systems) and the vehicles," said Green. "It's a unique system the way it runs. It has what's called a linear induction motor in the middle of the track, that's unique to that particular line, that's not the same on the subway system."

A train car derailed on July 24 with approximately 45 people on board, injuring five. The TTC launched an investigation immediately and halted the service, using a shuttle bus system instead.

The SRT is scheduled to be decommissioned in November, but Green says they plan to bring it back if it's safe to do so.

"Even if we bring the train service back we're still going to be down a train, the train that was involved in the derailment," said Green. "So we're already planning now with the city for parallel shuttle service."

There are other contingency plans in place. In addition to the shuttle service on Midland Avenue and Kennedy Road, Green said there are about 11 bus routes they could re-route out of Kennedy Station, adding they are looking at building a busway along the existing SRT tracks.

"I think they're making the best of a bad situation, but they could make better of a bad situation and that's why I advocate for the rapid lanes, and of course the busway," said Krissan Veeransingam with TTC Riders. "We need to see these solutions like bus lanes and, more importantly, a busway because, of course, you can't fit 70 buses an hour realistically on a Scarborough street."

The TTC has said the busway would take about two years to complete, not being ready until 2025.

"Having a dedicated busway on the existing RT track would help a lot, and there's also other solutions like having rapid to projects fast-tracked," said Veeransingam.

The majority of shuttle bus riders CTV News Toronto spoke with said they'd like to see the SRT return because the buses are slower at getting them where they need to be.