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GO Transit says trains will not be able to service Niagara Falls GO, St. Catharines GO, Hamilton GO or West Harbour GO stations on Tuesday morning due to an ongoing rail blockade.

“We are still blocked from going beyond Aldershot GO station,” Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said.

Protesters set up a rail blockade along the train tracks between Aldershot GO and Hamilton GO in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Nation hereditary chiefs who oppose the 670-km Coastal GasLink pipeline in northern British Columbia.

The blockade began hours after the Ontario Provincial Police dismantled a blockade in Tyendinaga, just east of Belleville, Ont., that lasted nearly three weeks.

READ MORE: Solidarity rail blockade launched in Hamilton after OPP arrests in Tyendinaga

Disruptions caused GO Transit to suspend service along the western portion of its Lakeshore West line during the evening peak rush hour and disruptions are continuing into the Tuesday morning commute.

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Aikins said passengers who normally get on at Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Hamilton or West Harbour GO stations will not be able to get on those trains, however shuttle buses are running.

“[Passengers] can pick up a bus that will take you to Aldershot or beyond or all the way for some of our customers and it’s just going to take you a little more time. Buses are difficult to predict during rush hour.”

Lakeshore West #GOtrain passengers: As a result of the ongoing police investigation along the tracks between Aldershot GO and Hamilton GO, service on your line will be modified this morning. Please see https://t.co/bDWzFhfee3 for travel options. — Lakeshore West Train (@GOtransitLW) February 25, 2020

“It’s an uncertain situation,” Aikins said. “We are doing the best we can. We are hoping for customers’ patience on this. It’s beyond our control.”

Aikins added that the tracks where protesters have established their blockade is not owned by Metrolinx.

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“In the area where this police investigation is underway, it is not our tracks. It’s not Metrolinx owned tracks so we don’t have jurisdiction over it. So the CN police are there, along with Hamilton police and our transit safety officers are there, but their role is to observe and to ensure everyone stays safe and beyond that, there is no action that we can take.”

According to the Wet’suwet’en Strong: Hamilton in Solidarity Facebook group, a post on Tuesday morning said: “It’s a new day, and we started it by burning the injunction delivered by CN rail” encouraging others to join the protest.

Protesters block rail tracks in between Burlington and Hamilton (Feb. 25, 2020). Robbie Ford / Global News

READ MORE: OPP arrest multiple protesters at Tyendinaga Mohawk rail blockade

According to GO Transit’s website, the following trains will not operate Tuesday morning:

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Niagara Falls 5:23 – Union Station 7:50

West Harbour GO 6:09 – Union Station 7:20

West Harbour GO 7:09 – Union Station 8:20

Other routes have been replaced with shuttle buses. For Hamilton and West Harbour passengers:

West Harbour: Departures at 6:09 and 7:09 – replaced by shuttle buses to Aldershot GO

Hamilton: Departures at 5:48, 6:18, 6:48 and 7:18 – replaced by shuttle buses to Aldershot GO

GO Transit said Route 18 bus service from Hamilton GO to Aldershot GO will run as normal.

“For Hamilton and West Harbour customers who may choose to drive in, given the limited parking at Aldershot GO you may want to consider using Burlington, Appleby or Bronte GO stations,” the website read.

For Niagara Falls and St. Catharines passengers, the following routes have been replaced by shuttle buses:

Niagara Falls: Departure at 5:23 – replaced by shuttle bus to Burlington GO

St. Catharines: Departure at 5:46 – replaced by shuttle bus to Burlington GO

GO Transit said Route 12 bus service from Niagara Falls Bus Terminal and St. Catharines Fairview Mall will run as normal.

2:09 New rail blockades in Hamilton, Caledonia New rail blockades in Hamilton, Caledonia

The Ontario Provincial Police was also forced to shut down Highway 6 in Caledonia, about 25 kilometres away from Hamilton, following a blockade there that began mid-afternoon on Monday.

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The affected portion of the highway was between Argyle Street South and Greens Road, near the Six Nations reserve. As of 6:45 a.m. Tuesday, the road was still closed.

— With files from Nick Westoll.

Heads up Niagara, St. Catharines, Hamilton & West Harbour GO customers. Your service has been adjusted this morning as trains cannot service beyond Aldershot this morning. Bus will take you to Aldershot. Thx for your understanding https://t.co/6r3gGuuPFt — Anne Marie Aikins (@AMAwithAMA) February 25, 2020

*UPDATE* (Feb 25 06:45 hr) #HaldimandOPP ongoing. #HWY6 in #Caledonia is closed between Argyle St. South and Greens Rd. Expect traffic delays for demonstration. Please be patient if impacted. #ONHwys @OPP_WR @OPP_COMM_WR

^rl — OPP West Region (@OPP_WR) February 25, 2020

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