Taxi drivers want better conditions

The association representing some City taxi operators who ply their trade from the Upper Broad Street area is calling on the Ministry of Transport to improve the deteriorating conditions there.

The section where the drivers park their vehicles, next to the controversial Lord Nelson statue, has widening cracks and the road markings are no longer visible.

Chairman of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) Roy Raphael said some of the taximen were complaining about the conditions and he was hoping authorities would hear and answer their pleas.

“We are making a public appeal to the Minister of Transport to provide some relief there for us as it relates to the taxis. The road in that area needs to be repaired because it appears to be giving away, and the road needs to be marked,” he told Barbados TODAY, while welcoming work done so far at the nearby Cheapside location.

The AOPT currently represents just over 50 taxi operators, some of whom operate from the Upper Broad Street/Heroes Square location.

Raphael said since taxis were no longer operating from hotels and the airport as they did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of them were using Bridgetown locations.

Meantime, the AOPT chairman also pleaded with public service vehicle (PSV) operators and passengers to continue to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols in place.

He said he had been getting several complaints that people were still not wearing their masks.

“We don’t want the team [COVID-19 Monitoring Unit] to make recommendations to the Ministry of Health that will jeopardise them or create more problems for them. So, we as a responsible association, are making an appeal to the PSV operators to wear their masks,” Raphael said.
(MM)