Two-way traffic returns to Chapel Street in Speightstown

One week after traffic changes were made in Speightstown, some signs will be coming down after a decision to revert to the status quo on at least one street was announced on Wednesday.

In response to the concerns expressed by residents and businesspeople in the Speightstown area, Chapel Street will return to two-way traffic in the coming days. Other changes, including the one-way traffic heading north through the northern town, remain in place.

Saying the public will be made aware of when the latest change will take effect, Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw said the decision to revert to the traditional flow on Chapel Street resulted from the challenges being experienced by some establishments and homeowners with the newly-instituted traffic changes.

Bradshaw, who is also the Minister of Transport and Works (MTW) made the announcement after touring the largely commercial area to see first-hand the impact of the traffic adjustments which went into effect on March 22.

“The truth is we never expect that anything that we put in place is going to be the only way that it can be done. While we had an earlier consultation with some business owners, this morning we spoke to other business people in the area. We went directly to some of the residents and to some of the property owners and spoke to them about how the traffic changes have been working since we introduced them.

“Many of them have indicated that the biggest concern has been the Chapel Street area, which we have turned into a one-way street. Many of them have been affected in terms of the traffic flow. A number of persons have obviously not been able to get to their businesses so there have been some challenges.

As a consequence of the review with the Traffic Management Division, we’ve agreed that we will actually reverse that change and we will have the Chapel Street area returned to a twoway system,” she told the media gathered at the Speightstown Esplanade.

She said a statement about the effective date of the change would be issued later this week.

The Deputy PM also highlighted that the Speightstown jetty, which was refurbished last year, will undergo a grill replacement programme, because the grills have been tampered with and several individuals being injured.

“We’ve been working with BTI, (Barbados Tourism Investment Inc) MTW and the NCC (National Conservation Commission) to try to find a resolution to be able to replace the grills. I’m told the grills were removed for persons in the area trying to roast breadfruits, and therefore, as a consequence, while the work was done by BTI a few years ago, we are now in a situation where, because persons in the community and perhaps from outside have come in to use the grills or to find a purpose for them other than what they were intended for, we’re now having to replace them. The preliminary estimates that I have for a number of the grills are running us in a region of $17,000,” she stated.

Bradshaw highlighted there are several other issues being experienced by those working and visiting the area which also have to be addressed, including garbage collection, lighting, road and culvert conditions and drainage.

“Through the ministry, we’re going to be able to improve some of the side roads that lead onto the main Speightstown area. We’ve looked at improving some of the walkways along the streets, because that stands out in my mind as one of the major problems where a lot of the culverts are broken. You have pathways that are very uneven in terms of the surfaces and obviously especially for elderly people, it provides a factor of risk in terms of them being able to traverse the area properly.

So we have addressed a number of those concerns,” she added.

With abandoned commercial buildings making the area appear “rundown”, the minister sent out an appeal to their owners to maintain the properties or at least improve the surroundings “so that the general area of the Speightstown community does not look as though it is deteriorating at the rapid pace that it currently looks like right now”.

Regarding parking and the difficulties some persons have in traversing the town, the Deputy PM said it may be necessary to look at instituting a city circle bus similar to what is done in Bridgetown.

She was accompanied on the morning tour by Minister of Labour and Member of Parliament for St. Peter Colin Jordan, Parliamentary Secretary in the Transport Ministry Dr Rommel Springer, officials from her ministry, the NCC, BTI, police and Speightstown business owners.

jeniquebelgrave@barbadostoday.bb