Agony of commuters

HARDLY a week goes by without us receiving a letter from one of our readers complaining about the horrors of the country’s transport system, particularly the frustration of peak-hour traffic jams. The service provided by PTSC is heavily criticised for its limited routes and the irregularity of its schedules. In any case, there is no security control at the City Gate terminus and getting onto a bus can become a jostling, if not violent, ordeal. Often, the same mad scramble goes for boarding maxi taxis as commuters hustle on the way to and from work. Getting in and out of Port-of-Spain during peak hours is another exasperating experience for motorists who have to spend hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic travelling to and from their place of employment. Last week, for example, we received a letter from C Pierre bewailing his daily agony on the road.

He writes: “I live in the South and I remember when I just purchased my car I used to leave home at 5.30 am, drop my sister at UWI and still reach to work by 7 am. I must add that I felt it necessary to obtain a car because getting transportation to travel to South was an exercise in endurance, patience and mental fortitude. Getting a bus was difficult, even when they introduced a bus to Point Fortin. Getting a taxi was even worse. Oh! I can’t forget that getting a taxi was an exercise in agility, who could squeeze through the door or window or walk on top or climb over another’s head. I couldn’t deal with that, so I got my own car. “Well, it was good for a while but since January 2004 it all changed and the situation has been getting worse. If I leave home at 5.30, I can’t drop my sister at UWI and still reach to work by 8.30 for the earliest. Why? Too much traffic. On average I spend five to six hours a day on the road.”

Pierre, who expresses the agony of a large section of our commuting public, adds: “Despite the obvious traffic congestion, those in authority seem to be oblivious to the desperate cry of the nation’s working class, because nothing is being done to address this problem.” We relate all this anguish hopefully to bring home to the Government the urgent need for measures to relieve the horrendous traffic problems in the country which are not only an undue and extreme source of stress but also a serious drag on worker productivity. Which, of course, brings us to the provisions contained in the 2004/2005 Budget delivered by the Prime Minister on Friday. The measures announced by the PM to deal with the distressing traffic situation appear to offer effective solutions, but we must again ask the question: When will they be implemented? Among other things, Mr Manning says: “Priority would be given to the development of a light Rail Mass Transit System from Arima to Diego Martin and from Port-of-Spain to San Fernando. A full feasibility of this proposal will be completed by July 2005 at which time an investment decision will be taken.

If feasible, we expect to have a system in place by the year 2012 with some segments operational by 2008.” The PM also announced a major expansion of Trinidad’s road system which includes taking the Solomon Hochoy Highway to Point Fortin, the Churchill Roosevelt Highway to Manzanilla, the North Coast Road to Blanchisseuse and building new highways from San Fernando to Mayaro via Princes Town and Rio Claro and from Port-of-Spain to Chaguaramas. Mr Manning, however, gave no time frame for achieving this proposed expansion. The fact is that building new highways and introducing a rail system are way into the future and will not provide immediate relief to suffering commuters. They will, however, expect that construction of the interchange at the intersection of Churchill Roosevelt and Uriah Butler will be expedited in the coming year as an urgent priority. And that something will be done to facilitate quicker entry by vehicles into the city. A crisis has arisen because our road system has not kept pace with our social and economic development. It cries out for immediate relief.