(CBC News posted the following on its website on July 8.)
TORONTO — Via Rail said an investigation is underway after a CBC Radio reporter Friday managed to board a passenger train and enter its baggage area without once being checked for a ticket. This comes a day after Canadian officials announced increased security measures on trains and subways following the bombings in Britain.
Reporter Dave Seglins said it was easy to walk into Union Station with a backpack and board a train headed for Windsor without buying a ticket, nor was he requested to produce one. He was able to enter the baggage hold without being asked for identification.
Some commuters into Toronto also noticed no extra security.
“I figured there would have been police officers up and down the train. It’s only been 24 hours since it’s happened,” said one rider.
Though a Via spokesperson acknowledged that should not have been allowed to happen, it raised questions about how much security is possible on mass transit.
Security expert Brian Hay of Crisis Management Specialists said that even though technology exists for bomb sniffing and even x-raying groups of passengers, it would be next to impossible at major hubs like Union Station.
“If you start to try to put the kind of security like in the airport, you’re going to have thousands and thousands of people lined up waiting to get through, ” said Hay.
“They’ll make a rational decision and say I can’t do this and they’ll end up driving their cars on the road.”
“I’m not one to want Big Brother sitting on my doorstep but at least London looked like they were prepared where it doesn’t seem like maybe we’re exactly prepared,” said one Toronto commuter.
Via Rail on Friday called the breach “disturbing” and should never have happened. An investigation has been launched, and a spokesperson said the company had taken immediate steps to ensure every passenger boarding their trains is at least asked for a ticket.