The City of New Westminster's new railway committee aims to get the city's relationships with rail companies on track.
The new community panel includes representatives from the City of New Westminster, the four railways operating in New Westminster and local residents. The group aims to meet quarterly or at the call of the panel's chair.
"We want to look at all the issues that come up with the railways, understanding the railways have been there a long time and will continue to be there," said Coun. Chuck Puchmayr, who will co-chair the committee with Mayor Wayne Wright.
In addition to whistle cessation, possible topics for the committee include health and environment concerns about emissions from trains and noise from trains.
"I want to see a really good relationship with the railroads," Puchmayr said.
The panel is intended to provide a forum where the city can exchange information with the Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, Southern Railway of British Columbia and British Columbia and Burlington Northern railways.
A staff report presented to city council last summer stated that the city and the railway companies have agreed it would be mutually beneficial to establish a committee where issues such as infrastructure improvements, planned developments, pedestrian and road crossing, train whistling, community complaints and safety concerns could be discussed.
"That will be in April," said Wright of the committee's first meeting. "We have people with railroad background and people that represent the community very strongly."
The City of New Westminster is already working with the railways on the issue of whistle cessation at some crossings in the city, Wright said.
