Opposition from business people over notice time and likely negative effect
Rickal Hamilton
Major changes to the traffic system in St Ann’s Bay were expected to come into effect Monday, November 3. People in the parish capital and its outskirts attended a town hall meeting, called by the Council, at the Anglican Church Hall, St. Ann’s Bay on Wednesday evening, October 29.
Business people in particular, as well as residents of the town, complained about what they said was the short notice, between the meeting and the proposed implementation. Others said the changes would hurt business. They argued that the changes were being made to facilitate unruly taxi operators, rather than make them comply with the law and operate lawfully.
Former custos, businessman Radcliffe Walters was one of those complaining about the lack of information. He said a “survey was done and I don’t think anyone in here who does business along Main Street knows about it.” He argued that business owners and operators who do business below Church Street, won’t be able to get or do deliveries should there be a one way traffic system from the cemetery to the court house, due to insufficient driving and parking space. He also recommended the use of the north to south streets as a better solution to their congestion problems.
Community members argued there were not enough signs if any and business owners argued these route changes would not be feasible to their business operations.
Business owners also argued the Council should not make it difficult for delivery trucks to facilitate taxi operators who they said are the culprits in the society and are most undisciplined. They said if these route changes were to be implemented the roads should be first fixed.
Councillor Ian Bell, chairman of physical planning and environmental control committee of the Council said: “The main reason for these traffic changes is to control public order and to control the disorder that our traffic personnel taxi men, delivery men, and regular drivers just believe they can drive, park and do what they want to do and congest the town as they feel like.” Mr Bell also mentioned the Council had already indicated to the public that the traffic changes would take effect on Monday November 3.
The overview of the proposed traffic changes was done by Ethlyn Douglas, director of planning in the St Ann Parish Council.
Shawn Dunbar operations manager of the Transport Authority (Portland, St. Mary, St. Ann) later stated and emphasised that the present road licences, for bus and taxi operators, would have the old route. The new routes, reflecting the new traffic changes won’t be able to go on their licences until March of next year, he said. He said because of this an exception would be made for now using the new routes with the existing licences.
Ryan Gayle, assistant superintendent of police, St. Ann said “The challenges in St. Ann they are born out of one thing — chaos that is created along the spine (Main Street) and in the township. We have a lot of congestion primarily fuelled by motorist trying to achieve or to just get basic services that are offered”.
