MONCTON, NB -Greater Moncton’s mayors have added their voices to those calling for the preservation of passenger rail service in the Maritimes.

They’ve thrown their support behind Transport Action Atlantic, which will hold a series of town hall meetings to talk about VIA Rail’s plans to cut service on its Ocean Atlantic run in half.

“We in Canada are the caboose of the industrialized world when it comes to our rail passenger network.  It’s high times we turned things around.”  says Ted Bartlett, Vice President of Transport Action Atlantic.

Bartlett says contrary to what the company has been saying, the number of people riding the train is actually growing and he suggests that growth could be stronger if the service was better promoted.

Mayor George LeBlanc says he’s at a loss to understand how a 50 per cent cut in service can be an improvement in service….

“It’s a step in the wrong direction and could lead to no service at all for this end of the country.”  says LeBlanc.

LeBlanc’s sentiments were echoed by the mayors of Dieppe and Riverview as they spoke at a news conference in Moncton yesterday to announce a series of workshops which will be held across the region.

There will be a meeting at Moncton City Hall on September 25th at 7 p.m.

Workshops are also planned for Bathurst, Campbellton, Miramichi and Edmundston.