Transportation in North Leeward – something is wrong!

27.MAY.11

Editor: Some attention needs to be paid to the North Leeward Transportation and its operations. Many of us who travel from Kingstown late in the day encounter difficulty in getting a van to transport us back home.{{more}} Many times we are transported thankfully by vans that operate outside of North Leeward, while the vans from North Leeward are parked up until the following day.

In trying to understand the problem, it is argued by the van owners that it is not profitable to come to Kingstown that late in the evening almost empty and to return to Leeward; a similar argument is put forward by the vans from outside the area that they have to transport us down and return that late in the night almost empty, thus it becomes unprofitable. Maybe soon no one will want to transport us later than six in the evening. As a matter of fact, it is argued by the van owners of North Leeward that it is not profitable to operate a van from North Leeward at a cost in the fare of five dollars from Chateaubelair and four dollars from Coulls Hill and Spring Village, while Barrouallie vans which have little hills to encounter are charging four dollars from Barrouallie to Kingstown. Certainly something is wrong.

In the meantime, we the travelling public are left struggling to come home. Here is where I think a solution ought to be found. While we understand the situation with the vans, yet if they are organised in the sense that some of the vans travelled late in the evening and in the night, it will ease the situation for there are so many passengers who normally are in town late on any given day.

I strongly recommend two things, one: that Government give a raise in the fare, considering the cost involved in operating a van from North Leeward. Added to that, the fare of $5.00 per person from Chateaubelair and $4.00 from Coulls Hill and Spring Village has been so for over twenty years, while other areas have gotten an increase in the last ten or so years and secondly that Government operate a late night bus. This bus should be government owned. This I know will bring some relief to passengers who are normally late in town, and trying to get home. After all, many have classes, some work late, and there are those who have to be in town late for one reason or another.

Also, this same bus can operate on a Sunday to take workers to work and others who might want to travel to other destinations but can not since vans don’t work on Sundays from this area. After all, we need to develop our nation, and so transportation is an important service to be rendered, but it needs to be more organised and efficient. We the travelling public need to have reliable service from our van men.

I do hope that the Ministry of Transport etc and the North Leeward van men will work together and address the problems so that we can at least have a reliable transport system. Thank you.

Kennard King