While MBTA Scales Back Cuts, North Shore Still Takes Hit

SALEM, MA — The MBTA apparently listened as local and state officials, T workers and the riding public decried proposed massive cuts to service proposed to make up for lost ridership due to the coronavirus health crisis at recent public forums.

Yet, while the extent and lengths of the cuts were ultimately reduced in some cases in the Fiscal Management Control Board’s final recommendation, they will still be significant for North Shore residents who rely on traveling the commuter rail at off-peak hours and who utilize certain bus lines through Salem.

Several bus lines that run through the North Shore remain on the chopping block, with service to be suspended on the 434, 456, 451, 465 routes.

"While I'm disappointed they did not commit to restore all of the proposed service reductions," Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said in a statement to Patch. "I'm encouraged that they were willing to listen to the public and communities whom they serve and I'm hopeful that we will be able to continue to invest in and support essential public transit services for our residents."

Driscoll was one of the officials who railed against the initial proposal calling those reducetions "an enormous hardship to many Salem workers and residents."

While the MBTA will eliminate commuter rail service after 9 p.m. – pending further analysis – the Newburyport/Rockport line was one of five commuter rail lines that will maintain some weekend service. The initial proposal included eliminating all weekend service on all lines until ridership returned to peak capacity from the pandemic – which the T estimated might not be until 2022.

North Shore officials and residents argued during a remote public hearing on the cuts that the elimination of weekend service — which were proposed to take effect in the spring — would come at just the time communities will need to rely on trains for a hopeful resurgence of tourism as the pandemic hopefully begins to abate.

"I am extremely pleased that the MBTA leadership understood the need for weekend service here on the North Shore," said Rep. Brad Hill (R-Ipswich) said in a statement. "I look forward to continuing our dialogue to ensure that our workers can get into Boston and that our tourism industry leaders don't have to worry about people getting to our area via the commuter train."

Under the revised plan, the Beverly Prides Crossing commuter rail stop will still be closed and trains during peak hours will be reduced. The MBTA said that the revised plan "maintains 70 percent of pre-pandemic service levels" on the commuter rail.

Those cuts are scheduled to go into effect in January.

"I am relieved that the MBTA recognized the importance of continuing weekend commuter rail service on the Newburyport/Rockport line," said Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem). "Many North Shore residents rely on public transit to get to their jobs on the weekends, and the T made the right call in preserving this essential service."

Most of the bus changes are scheduled to go into effect in March.

The MBTA is already running lines at reduced "storm level" capacity due to conductors being unavailable because of coronavirus-related positive tests and quarantines.

The revised cuts were approved via a 3-2 vote of the fiscal control board.

More Patch Coverage: In Tight Vote, MBTA Board Agrees to Cut Service

Drastic MBTA Cuts Could Leave North Shore Commuters Stranded

Salem Mayor Pushes Back Against Proposed MBTA Service Cuts

Proposed MBTA Weekend Service Whack Worries North Shore