The MLA for Kamloops North says the longer the Trans Mountain pipeline argument drags on the more impacts there will be including to Kamloops tourism.

Peter Milobar says as the pipeline argument rages new records are being set in how much oil is being transported by rail through B.C.

He says there are obvious safety and environmental concerns should an oil carrying train derail into any of the major rivers the tracks run alongside, and that’s not all.

“From the Kamloops perspective, the more mainline rail time that gets chewed up by oil tanker traffic that does not need to be on it, it makes it that much more difficult for Rocky Mountaineer to be able to access the rail time they need to keep their expansion and growing tourism in our area. So a very significant impact.”

Milobar says squeezing rail capacity will force more goods to be shipped by commercial trucks further straining highways around Kamloops in desperate need of upgrades.