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Re. 'Weston fears rail-link may be fast-tracked,' News, July 11

The Weston Coalition does not speak for all of Weston concerning a possible Air Rail Link train from the airport to union station and return via the Weston corridor. My property backs right on to the rail tracks and is very close to Weston Go Station.

A train coming from the airport and stopping at Weston station, providing regular service to downtown and return, day and night, would be a welcomed service for anyone living in Weston and traveling downtown for work, entertainment and weekend events.

This kind of service would most definitely increase property values and quite frankly we would be the envy of express service to downtown and return. Concerns about the impact of the train on the community have been vastly exaggerated. If the train stops at Weston station, it will not be high speed through Weston and this also reduces the fears about street closures.

Also, based on available information, the train is expected to be one-tenth the size of a GO train. Commuter trains travelling through Weston are relatively quiet and go by level street crossings quickly. Anyone living on the Weston tracks knows that the half-kilometre long freight trains, not commuter trains, are the problem.

Single-minded opposition to the train blurs reasonable considerations and judgement of some of the obvious benefits to local residents if there were a stop in Weston, not to mention the larger benefits to Toronto in terms of reducing the carbon footprint of cars and buses on the environment and promoting tourism and economic development in the city.

Let's have an open mind about the train and if there is going to be an airport train through the Weston corridor let's make sure Weston gets a stop and gets some benefits.

Ross Parry