Authorities on Friday assured that all systems were in place for the movement of an expected 20 000-strong crowd for the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup final at Kensington Oval, though indications later came that a potential storm could put a damper on the highly anticipated event At a press conference in the morning, both police and transport authorities expressed confidence in their preparations, emphasising their readiness to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for all attendees at the historic cricket final.
“We’re excited about it, we’re well prepared for it, and all aspects of our policing duties are there, especially traffic management, which will affect everyone coming to the Kensington Oval,” said Communications and Public Affairs Officer of the Barbados Police Service Inspector Rodney Inniss.
He emphasised the importance of public cooperation in managing traffic flow: “We ask for the public’s interaction to comply with all the directions of police officers seeking to help them and help move the traffic smoothly.”
The T20 final match between India and South Africa marks the culmination of a tournament that has seen Barbados host eight previous games.
Despite the absence of the West Indies team in the final, organisers are anticipating a festive atmosphere.
“We’re still going to have wonderful cricket; we’re still going to have a good show for the vendors, and for all the people around, we’re going to accommodate them well,” Inspector Inniss added.
The police have implemented a comprehensive traffic management plan, with duties beginning at 6 a.m. on match day.
Significant changes include two-way traffic on Wharf Road for the day of the final.
Chief Operations Officer of the Transport Board Lynda Holder, a member of the transport team in the Local Organising Committee (LOC), outlined an extensive park-and-ride system to manage the influx of spectators.
“We expect that tomorrow we’re going to have a lot of people on the ground. We know that the event is practically sold out,” she said.
The park-and-ride facilities, located at various sites including Queen’s College and the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, will operate from 6 a.m. until two hours after the match ends. A fixed fare of $10 will be charged for the service.
Holder highlighted the efficiency of the system: “Our data shows that we’ve managed to keep waiting times under 20 minutes at all sites, which is a testament to our planning.”
“This World Cup has allowed us to test our systems on a larger scale. We’re used to managing events like Crop Over and Independence Day, but the World Cup presented new challenges that we’ve successfully navigated. We’ve been able to plan effectively, ensuring minimal waiting times at Park and Ride sites and a smooth turnaround for buses.” (RG)
