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Temporary shuttle service to ferry passengers to PSV terminal

by Randy Bennett
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A temporary solution has been found to alleviate the problems facing public service vehicle operators who complain of being reported by police for operating outside of the Constitution River Terminal (CRT) at night.

The pilot project will see a nighttime shuttle service by the Transport Board picking up commuters from across the island and taking them directly to the terminal.

The news has been welcomed by the Alliance Owners of Public Transport spokesman Mark Haynes, who told Barbados TODAY that PSV workers would no longer have to worry about being reported by police for picking up passengers at Fairchild Street after hours.

PSV operators have long contended that passengers are afraid to go into the CRT at night because they feel unsafe walking along the dark passages leading to the terminal.

Haynes said the temporary solution was proposed following a tour of the CRT and Fairchild Street Bus Terminal by Minister of Transport Ian Gooding-Edghill and officials from the Transport Board, the Royal Barbados Police Force and ministry officials two weeks ago.

Haynes also said the CRT’s opening hours are to be extended while area lighting and cameras are also to be enhanced.

“We met and we came up with a temporary solution which is still under study,” Haynes said. “We are looking now going forward at using a shuttle service and this will shuttle commuters from the various parts of the islands to the CRT. The Minister understands the situation and is trying to bring resolution to it.

“They will get shuttled from the various points to the CRT so it has been agreed that the CRT will open back up, thus allowing the buses to be in that area because the question of safety arose where people were mugged and people were abused and there were all kinds of activities taking place around what they call the ‘shanty town’ at night.

“It was a question of security so the police and all and sundry who were part of the entourage agreed that security was an issue. So to ease the situation they are looking at the temporary shuttle service which will be instituted by the Transport Board and once we all are in agreement with the various routes that should be rolled out in short order so that the commuters will then be sensitized by way of the ministry advertising and putting it in the public’s domain so the commuters would know where they can catch the shuttle service to get to the CRT.”

Haynes, the AOPT’s communication, information and marketing officer, disclosed that while the pilot project would be free during its rollout, he did not know if commuters would eventually have to pay to utilize the service.

Both PSV bodies, AOPT and the Association of Public Transport Operators (APTO), baulked at the suggestion of footing the bill for the shuttle, with Haynes saying they were not in a position to do so.

Haynes told Barbados TODAY: “Initially, it is supposed to be a free pilot project but after the first month we do not know what is going to happen and if a cost is going to be attached but the first month according to the discussions that we have had it is meant to be free.

“Right now the two bodies are not in a position given our financial precarious situation to fund it. It was put to us but AOPT told the minister that we were not in a position to fund it so we do not know if after the month ends if there will be a fee attached.”

A previous proposal put forward for a bridge to be built from River Road at the NASSCO car dealership to the CRT was not possible right now because of a lack of funds, Haynes said.
randybennett@barbadostoday.bb

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