Montreal, 3 June 2004 – The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) wishes to inform transit users that, for safety reasons, carrying a bicycle in the métro will only be allowed from a few specific stations when the Tour de l’Île cycling event is held next Sunday, June 6.

From 6 a.m. Sunday morning, only Crémazie, Côte-Vertu, Angrignon, Radisson, Longueuil, Snowdon and Saint-Michel stations will be accessible to cyclists carrying their bicycles. To return home after the event, only Rosemont, Fabre and Berri-UQAM stations will be accessible to cyclists, and no transfers between métro lines will be permitted. All stations will once again be accessible to transit users with their bicycles as of 6 p.m.

Children and teens under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Participants carrying their bicycle can only travel aboard the first train car and their numbers cannot exceed 16. They must always give way to regular transit users, without hindering the flow of travellers or compromising their safety. Should an emergency require the evacuation of a train, bicycles must be left behind.
The STM would like to remind everyone that riding a bicycle, using a foot scooter or a skateboard, and rollerblading inside a métro station is forbidden at all times.

Increased métro service
Train frequency will be increased to allow métro use by as many cyclists as possible. Instead of running every 10 to 12 minutes as is usual on Sundays, trains will go by every five to six minutes.

The STM recommends that anyone planning on using the métro to attend the Tour de l’Ile should purchase their return fare ahead of time to avoid line-ups, as ridership levels are much higher after such events. Those carrying a bicycle should follow the guidelines outlined above, as a courtesy to other transit users.

Bus service modifications
Because of the scope of the upcoming cycling event, some forty bus routes will be modified during the day.

In addition, there will be no service at all on the following routes: 14 – Amherst, between 9 a.m. and 4 :30 p.m.; 15 – Sainte-Catherine, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.; 61 – Wellington, between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. ; 150 – René-Lévesque, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

When planning their transportation to attend the event, transit users should call A-U-T-O-B-U-S (288-6287) for bus schedules at their stop. For all other information, please call STM-INFO (786-4636). More useful information can also be found on the STM’s website at www.stm.info.

Paratransit
Because several major roadways will be closed to traffic, it will not be possible for paratransit vehicles to provide transportation to areas within or close to the Tour de l’Île perimeter. As a result, the STM’s Paratransit Centre will have no choice but to cancel some confirmed trips and may even have to refuse some transportation requests. We recommend that users contact Paratransit services to confirm their transportation in advance.