What to know
- The TTC has begun installing steel platform barriers at TMU Station as part of a subway safety pilot.
- The barriers are designed to help prevent people from falling or jumping onto the tracks.
- Mayoral candidate and Coun. Brad Bradford criticized the measures, arguing that full platform edge doors would provide better protection.
- The TTC is also planning AI-assisted track detection cameras at TMU Station as part of the pilot.
The TTC’s new steel platform barriers are beginning to be installed at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Station, but the safety measures are already facing criticism from mayoral candidate Brad Bradford who says the barriers don’t go far enough.
Bradford took aim at the new infrastructure in a video posted to social media, calling the barriers “half fences” and arguing that they will not do enough to prevent people from accessing the tracks.
“Obviously, these little fences don’t prevent falls, they don’t prevent delays. They don’t keep anybody safe,” Bradford said.
The TTC and the City of Toronto announced the steel barrier pilot in May as part of a broader push to improve subway safety and reduce track intrusions.
The barriers are intended to help prevent people from falling or jumping onto the tracks, while cameras equipped with an AI-assisted detection system will also be installed at TMU Station to identify people on the tracks and alert staff.
The pilot was inspired by similar steel barriers used in New York City’s subway system.
Why some critics want platform doors
The criticism centres on the difference between the new barriers and full platform edge doors, which have been advocated for by transit safety supporters and advocates.
Unlike the steel barriers, platform edge doors create a physical separation between passengers and the tracks and open only when a train is stopped at the platform.
Bradford said in his video that previous city studies recommended “real platform edge doors,” rather than what he described as a partial barrier.
The city and TTC have not abandoned the idea of platform edge doors. As part of the May announcement, Mayor Olivia Chow said Bloor-Yonge Station is being prepared for a future retrofit that would make the station compatible with platform edge doors.
However, installing the doors throughout the subway system would come with a significant price tag. The TTC has previously estimated the cost of installing the infrastructure across the subway network at about $4.1 billion.
For now, the steel barriers and AI-assisted cameras represent a more immediate pilot intended to address track intrusions while the TTC continues to consider longer-term safety measures.
The TTC has also said its broader approach includes more visible staff, security and crisis support workers during busy periods.
