Spaldings Transport Centre shortfall
published: Saturday | March 11, 2006

George Henry, Gleaner Writer

SPALDINGS, Clarendon:

EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT with the National Association of Taxi Operators (NATO), Edgerton Newman, has cited several concerns regarding the operation of the recently constructed Spaldings Transportation Centre in Clarendon.

According to Mr. Newman, the partially completed facility which was unofficially opened in December last year, to facilitate the increase in commuter movement, has not been worked on since it was asphalted. He said the facility continues to be used full time without important amenities.

Mr. Newman told The Gleaner during a tour of the facilities this week that he was disappointed that the authorities have allowed the facility to be in use without sanitary conveniences, shelter for the travelling public and other requirements.

"We need the facilities to be put in place totally," Mr. Newman said. "This facility was opened in December, three months have passed and there has not been any continuation of work to have the necessary things in place. They need sheds, sanitary conveniences, among other things, and we are asking the Member of Parliament Mr. (Richard) Azan to put in these things."

INDISCIPLINED TRANSPORT OPERATORS

He stated that, apart from the lack of important amenities, there was also the problem of indiscipline among public transport operators who use the unfinished facility. Mr. Newman said the absence of markings, to identify the areas where taxis and minibuses for the various routes should be parked, is contributing to the problem of indiscipline among drivers which makes policing at the facility difficult.

He said public passenger vehicles are loading passengers in a disorderly manner and that there seems to be no plan to have the problem rectified.

Mr. Newman noted that the Spaldings police are having difficulty stamping out the existing indiscipline at the transportation centre and said the police would be unable to deal with the situation until all the necessary things are in place.

In the meantime Sergeant Lawrence McPherson, of the Spaldings Police Station, called on operators to desist from entering and leaving the facility in a disorderly manner and asked them to stop parking at the entrance to the facility, from the main road leading to the centre of the small rural town, as it contributes to congestion.

Mr. Azan, the Member of Parliament for North West Clarendon, said the collection of fees to use the transportation centre has seen a drop from $9,000 per day to $3,000 which he said was insufficient to take care of the facility. He said a meeting involving all taxi and minibus operators, the police and the political representatives is to be held soon, with the aim of rectifying the situation.