Out-of-service elevator causes safety concerns at Parliament Station
A transit user recently assisted a mother with two small children and a double stroller at Parliament Station, where an elevator had been out of service for weeks. This incident occurred just eight days after a 92-year-old man fell on the same staircase, raising serious safety concerns.
On April 16, Alice Hui encountered the mother struggling to navigate the stairs leading to the train platform. The woman had to leave her children at the top of the stairs while she carried the stroller down, then rush back up to retrieve each child individually. Hui described the situation as extremely dangerous and a significant liability for OC Transpo.
The elevator had been malfunctioning since early March and was completely out of service by mid-March. Although another elevator was available, many transit users were unaware of its existence because it was located behind a fare gate that would not open if a card had already been tapped.
Hui filed a complaint with OC Transpo, which responded by explaining that the fare gate safeguard prevents multiple customers from using the same pass. They suggested waiting five minutes before tapping again to re-enter. However, Hui argued that clear signage was needed at the stairs, in front of the accessible fare gate, and at the broken elevator to inform passengers of alternative routes.
The mother told Hui she had no alternative transportation and could not take the bus, as it would make her late for work. For over a month, she had been performing this dangerous routine daily. Hui emphasized that OC Transpo should have a plan in place for future elevator outages to prevent similar incidents.
