To the editor;
Even though a well-organized citizens group, Communitywise Bellingham (CWB), has been studying the local impact of an extra 18 full coal trains plus 18 empty per day going through their community, I have heard little said or discussed here in the Fraser Valley except for the extra three empty coal trains per day due to some repair work, but we were told only until October!
Now these full coal trains will be routed through White Rock to Port Metro, the new coal terminal, with the empty trains returning through Langley, Fort Langley and Abbotsford. Eighteen coal trains per day at up to eight minutes per train translates to nearly two hours and 45 minutes each day when traffic in the downtown areas of these communities will be virtually stalled plus train whistles at night.
I’ll leave you to imagine the chaos and frustration this will bring to motorists, shoppers, businesses and light sleepers. Also add to that the impact upon people’s health and the environment from coal dust.
Gary Huntbatch
Abbotsford
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