Rail line closure study suggests impact negligible

The Steering Committee tasked with reviewing the impact of the recent closure of the Windsor-Hantsport Rail Line between Hantsport and New Minas has released its study results.

The study was awarded to Opus International Consultants and Chris Lowe Group in the fall of 2007 after the Windsor-Hantsport Railway Company (WHRC) announced the end of rail service that directly affected three companies based in New Minas.

The study found there were no direct impacts of the closure on the short line rail itself, as there has been no reduction in expenditures for the company and no employees have been laid off.

In terms of impact on local businesses, the three impacted companies have had to shift to trucking to replace what used to be accomplished by rail. For two of these companies, shipping costs have remained the same. For one of them, costs have increased and operations have had to be adjusted to accommodate trucking schedules.

In terms of external impacts, it was forecasted that:

• One additional accident will occur on Highway 101 every 25 years as a result of the increased truck traffic, which equates to nine additional B-Train truck trips per day;

• The annual increase in greenhouse gas emissions due to the same truck traffic is estimated to be about 125 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. The Victoria Policy Institute estimates the social cost of CO2 emissions to be $21.85 per tonne, resulting in a total cost of about $2,700 per year;

• Pavement and road maintenance costs as a result of the increased truck traffic would be minimal, as the increase in traffic constitutes less than 0.1 per cent of the total daily traffic on Highway 101, which averages 11,000 vehicles per day.

The study also identified that $13.2 million in potential investment would be required to modernize the rail operation to current standards.

Steering Committee member, Kings County councillor John Fuller, expressed optimism in the findings. “The socio-economic impact of the WHRC closure is less severe than originally projected, and has resulted in minor environmental, social and economic impacts. However, it has increased our reliance on Highway 101 for freight movement.” Concerns still remain surrounding the loss of the short-line rail service in Kings County, and have prompted the Steering Committee to recommend several follow-up activities. Wolfville councillor Bill Zimmerman noted, “rail service in Kings County has been an integral part of the transportation network for centuries and may yet play a pivotal role in years to come. A key next step will be to ensure that the rail corridor is protected to keep the door open for future opportunities.”