Mayor to review High Street mall

San Fernando Mayor Ian Atherly has promised to review the new traffic regulations regarding the High Street Pedestrian Mall which he launched last week for the Christmas season. Atherly gave the undertaking yesterday at a meeting with members of the San Fernando Business Association (SBA), the Inner-City Taxi Association and the North/South Taxi Association. The meeting was held at the council’s chambers on Harris Promenade. The Pedestrian Mall, encompassing upper High Street, was put in place last Monday by the Mayor and allows shoppers almost unrestricted access to stores and mini-malls along that street. Only legitimate taxis and delivery vehicles are allowed on the street during the peak shopping hours — 6 am to 8 pm.

However, since it was launched, massive traffic pile-ups have occurred on all of the major secondary streets leading into the city. Most hard-hit are the businesses which have complained that sales have dropped to an all-time low for this time of the year. Atherly and officers of the Police Service Traffic Branch discussed the business community’s concerns. SBA vice president, Dave Tikasingh, who led the delegation, observed that several businesses had experienced a drop in sales from 25 to about 35 percent during the Yuletide season. Tikasingh admitted, however, that the drop in sales may or may not be linked to the Pedestrian Mall, expressing concern that the non-admittance of private vehicles onto High Street has prevented senior citizens from shopping on High Street. SBA treasurer, Khushal Chagan, said the plan was “workable” if properly managed by police officers. He said the challenge was getting shoppers to return to High Street, but parking was the problem for customers. 

Atherly said persons with legitimate purchases would be permitted to collect items purchased at stores on High Street if bills were presented to police officers at the intersections. The mayor reiterated that a number of side streets had been “opened up” to allow parking, including St James Street and Mon Chagrin Street. The Mayor pointed out that between December 2-20, 104 persons had been charged with 219 offences in the city. Representatives of the taxi associations said their members were satisfied with the new traffic arrangements.