West Coast Express service to resume for Tuesday commute
Posted February 24, 2020 7:54 pm.
Last Updated February 24, 2020 9:30 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — West Coast Express will run Tuesday morning after an earlier demonstration blocking tracks in Maple Ridge has been cleared.
All train service was cancelled Monday afternoon when protesters gathered on the tracks near Port Haney Station in Maple Ridge. Now that trains are able to return to Mission, service will return to normal.
#WCE West Coast Express is expected to run regular service the morning of Tuesday, Feb 25. Protesters are no longer blocking the tracks in the Port Haney area, and we have been advised that we can run trains to Mission in preparation for tomorrows departures. ^pj
— TransLink BC (@TransLink) February 25, 2020
The Red Braid Alliance said Canadian Pacific Rail police gave protesters a 15-minute grace period to clear out of the area, and they complied.
With 2 dozen RCMP and CP cops coming down on us to break the blockade of the CP mainline in Maple Ridge, we decided to take down our blockade.
— Red Braid Alliance for Decolonial Socialism (@stopdisplacemnt) February 25, 2020
Ridge Meadows RCMP assisted CP police to end the protest.
“The goal for police in any circumstance is to ensure the safety of everyone and attempt to bring any situation to a peaceful resolution,” said Constable Julie Klaussner in a release. “This includes police preparing for every contingency and possible outcome that could arise and, in this situation, we had a peaceful resolution.”
No arrests have been reported.
Meanwhile, a separate protest has the intersection at Clark Drive and Hastings Street shut down, blocking access to the Port of Vancouver.