Mayoral candidate Anthony Perruzza has a smart solution to make driving safer and less congested for Torontonians on the 401:  Move trucks onto the 407.

“The situation is impossible on highway 401,” said Perruzza.  “If  Doug Ford cares about people’s time and safety, he’ll move trucks off the 401 onto the underused 407 today. People are wasting their lives on the crowded 401 while Highway 407 looks empty.”

Peruzza is asking Doug Ford to make Highway 407 a toll-free route for trucks, and get drivers moving.

Transport Action Ontario calculates that waiving tolls for trucks on highway 407 would get up to 21,000 trucks using the toll highway each weekday.  Municipalities such as Clarington and Halton Hills have asked for the government to get trucks on to the 407 for the safety of drivers and the maintenance of roads.

“The move is an easy one for the province. It doesn’t need to cost taxpayers anything,” said Perruzza.  “All Ford just needs to do is collect what’s owed to the province by the private operators of Highway 407.”

The provincial government was owed $1 billion in congestion penalties in 2020, and another $1 billion in penalties is expected for 2021.  Doug Ford forgave the penalty in 2020. He shouldn’t wave it for 2021, said Perruzza.

“Torontonians can’t afford to give away $1 billion when we need it to fix traffic on the 401,” said Perruzza. “We need that money to negotiate waving tolls for trucks instead, so families can feel safer driving on the highway.”