Lowest common denominator is a matter of opinion. I have no horse in the race of longitudinal vs. transverse seating, but I would much prefer plastic seating instead of cloth seating, even though the opinion here seems to sway very much in the opposite direction. Personally I think that cloth seating in cities with populations of over 200k is a hygienic nightmare, and would much rather accept the slight decrease in discomfort in exchange for the lack of absorbent seats. If you're going to have absorbent seats, your cleaning regimen needs military levels of oversight and strictness, otherwise it is just giving off the illusion of luxury and comfort while actually being foul.
But hey, if the TTC insists on making us stew in dirt, grime, and bodily fluids, the very least they could do is cut some seating, so that those of us who prefer to stand aren't always in somebody's way. The only transit vehicle on which this is not a problem currently is the Flexity trams.