GO train riders at Long Branch station are voicing concerns and expressing their collective frustration about overcrowding on the platform in the wake of an incident where a woman was struck and seriously injured, saying this should have been avoided.
It was reported that an express train on the Lakeshore West line was bypassing Long Branch GO in Etobicoke when a 46-year-old woman, who was allegedly walking near the edge of the platform, was struck by the train during rush hour on Tuesday morning.
She remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Riders at the station feel that the ongoing construction contributed to the incident. Work has temporarily reduced the train platform to half its size, forcing crowds to squeeze in.
“We don’t have enough space to spread out. When you see people, they’re getting too close to the line to get inside first and get a seat,” one woman told 680News Radio during Thursday morning’s commute.
“It is jammed. It’s like a sardine can,” another man said. “At least half of the platform is gone. You’re basically squished together, and there is no room to move.”
Metrolinx has deployed additional staff to control large crowds on the platform. In a news release, Toronto police said they wanted to remind all transit riders to “remain back from the platform lines and always be aware of approaching trains.”
CityNews has reached out to Metrolinx for comment.
The construction work at Long Branch station is expected to be completed in 2027. The upgrades include rehabilitated platforms with snow-melting systems, heated shelters, and a new west entrance building.