NEW WESTMINSTER: TransLink has replaced aging speakers and signs on the SkyTrain system by installing 280 new customer information screens and over 1,400 new speakers at Expo and Millennium Line SkyTrain stations.
These upgrades have modernized communication on the SkyTrain system and improved TransLink’s ability to communicate with customers. The changes include installation of the real time digital screens, better sound in stations and on trains and improved safety and security at the stations.
Expo and Millennium Line customers will notice outdated signs have been replaced by new “next train screens” on platforms and station entrances to let customers know when their next train is expected to arrive. As well the general information screens have been installed to simplify customer decision making with live service information and updates. The new speakers have been installed on trains and at stations for customers to clearly hear service alerts and notifications.
“SkyTrain users now have much better real-time travel information during their journeys. Modernizing TransLink’s customer communications is an important investment in both service and safety,” said George Heyman, BC Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and the Minister responsible for TransLink.
“Keeping transit an excellent alternative to driving by improving rider experiences is a critical part of the Mayors’ Vision. The signs and speakers on the Expo and Millennium Lines were outdated and replacing them is extremely important for SkyTrain customers. Retrofitting the communication tools at Expo and Millennium Line stations so riders can see and hear real-time information will help to make transit an even more attractive option for people returning to the system in the coming months and years,” said Jonathan X. Coté, Mayors’ Council Chair.
Over 1,200 new CCTV cameras have been installed along the Expo and Millennium Lines. These cameras can be monitored live by SkyTrain staff to modify service levels throughout the day and are a valuable resource for Transit Police investigations.
“With new speakers, screens, and security cameras, TransLink users will now be safer and better informed while commuting. I’m pleased that these improvements are funded in part by our federal government through the Rapid Transit Systems Rehabilitation and Maintenance Project. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities,” said The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Member of Parliament for Delta, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
This $79 million program is part of a larger $92.4 million Rapid Transit Systems Rehabilitation and Maintenance Project paid for under the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF), which is funded by the Government of Canada (50 per cent), the Government of British Columbia (33%), and TransLink (17%).
