The Montmorency, De la Concorde and Cartier stations are now accessible to people travelling in wheelchairs

Montreal, January 28, 2008 - The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) wishes to inform its clientele that, as of today, the three stations of the Montréal métro located on Laval territory are accessible to people travelling in wheelchairs.

With the goal of promoting access for its clientele, in particular senior citizens and parents with children in strollers as well as people who travel in wheelchairs, these three new stations were equipped with elevators at the time of their construction.

However, when they opened in April 2007, the STM was not in a position to meet the needs of people travelling in wheelchairs. In fact, boarding of the trains could not take place properly and safely due to the existing gap between the station platforms and the floors of the métro cars.

The Société therefore had to proceed with trials, develop an access ramp and set up a companion procedure. This has now been done!

« While I am aware that this is only a start, it still constitutes a move in the right direction, and I am pleased with this first step in accessibility to the Montréal métro for those in wheelchairs », declared the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the STM, Mr. Claude Trudel.

« I tested the access ramp and the companion procedure, and I can say without hesitation that it was a positive experience. This is without question one more step toward our autonomy » stated Mme Marie Turcotte, executive assistant at ExAequo and Paratransit Users’ Representative on the Board of Directors of the STM.

« This service offer will be expanded over the coming years with the installation of elevators in five stations on the network’s Orange line -- C�te Vertu, Lionel-Groulx, Bonaventure, Berri-UQAM and Henri-Bourassa. To that end, I am pleased to announce that work will commence this spring at the Lionel-Groulx station » added Mr. Trudel.

In closing, the chairman pointed out that the ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ) worked closely with the STM in the realization of this project to provide access for those in wheelchairs to the three Montréal métro stations located in Laval, which, incidentally, were constructed thanks to the MTQ’s financial contribution.

For more information: www.stm.info/english/metro/accessibility.htm

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