If the drivers’ strike does not end on Thursday, it will be necessary to walk, pedal, carpool or take a taxi to make up for the lack of buses from the Réseau de Transport de la Capitale, responsible for an average of 20,000 trips per day during the Quebec Summer Festival.
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Even if the authorities take remedial action, it will be up to festival-goers to find alternative solutions to get around, officials from the FEQ, the Service de Police de la Ville de Québec and the RTC said Tuesday during an event press conference.
“It is a deplorable situation for festival-goers, but the impact is their own responsibility.” “We have no real solution except to support all initiatives taken by public safety to ensure festival-goers have a great experience,” said the Festival’s President and CEO in a resolutely optimistic tone FEQ., Nicolas Racine.
He recommends walking, carpooling, or cycling instead.
“We have tripled the number of parking spaces for bicycles,” he says.
landing zones
For its part, the city of Quebec has planned two “flash landing zones” at the Gare du Palais and the Plains of Abraham ring, where festival-goers can be dropped off and picked up after the shows.
A cycle path will be marked on the Grande Allée between the Belvédère and Taché avenues. Festival-goers coming from the south bank are welcome to take the ferry.
It will also be possible to check the traffic situation online and in real time every day from noon.
Don’t be afraid of the traffic
Despite the “chaos” noted by Mayor Bruno Marchand, FEQ leaders don’t believe the strike will affect traffic to their sites.
“I think people intend to move anyway,” says Nicolas Racine.
RTC President Maude Mercier Larouche reiterated that bus service, including special shuttles departing from four locations in Quebec, could be restored “in the following hours” if an agreement in principle was reached before or during the festival.
- It will be easier to find water on the FEQ locations. The number of fountains, especially at the entrance to the level, has been doubled.
- Place George-V has been completely redesigned and is now used as a waiting area for spectators who want to attend concerts in the Parc de la Francophonie. A pedestrian bridge will connect the two locations.
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