Gov’t launches electric shuttles for RT’s Park & Ride initiative
The government launched its electric shuttles for the Park and Ride initiative in Road Town earlier today.
Transportation Minister Kye Rymer said the service aims to achieve several objectives such as alleviating parking lot congestion, reducing traffic congestion and reducing the use of fossil fuels that cause harmful emissions into the environment.
He said this will reduce the carbon footprint of the Virgin Islands.
“We hope to reduce parking on road which causes traffic obstruction, pedestrianising the city and improving mobility within the city limits,” Rymer said.
“This initiative has not been an overnight accomplishment. Since my tenure as minister, we have conducted extensive research, evaluations and analysis to provide the residents and visitors with reliable public transportation,” the minster added.
Rymer noted the launch of the service is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg in a grander initiative to improve mobility in the Virgin Islands and access traffic and congestion in Road Town.
“In the summer of 2019, we did a survey which had a response of over 2000 people, a resounding 83 percent expressed that having a bus service is very important and they would utilize it. That survey also revealed that more females are likely to use that service. This survey corroborated the need to implement public transportation in the Virgin Island,” Rymer said.
Minister of Social Development Carvin Malone said the launch of the Park and Ride initiative is an indication that groundwork is being done and there is progress for the people despite all the challenges the territory has faced over the last two years.
“As we come here to commission the electric shuttles, I would like to say congratulations. I looked at the vehicles purchased, and I see the studies being done I have witnessed the vans being used and I agree it is a needed service. It’s not everyone who have the access to vehicles. Not everyone would love to congest and park and get a ticket.” Malone said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly Neville Smith said it is important that a programme be implemented to maintain the vehicles involved in the initiative.
“One of the things I want to say is that in the BVI, we always spend money and put on a lot of things and do not maintain them. These vehicles need to be maintained so we could come up with a maintenance program for these vehicles,” Smith said.
“We cannot continue spending the funding that we have without maintaining them. It is just like our buildings; we cannot build without maintaining them. So, I’m encouraging whoever will oversee these vehicles after it is handover to come up with a schedule so these can be always maintained,” the Deputy Speaker said.
Premier Andrew Fahie also encouraged more people to look towards greener energy to reduce the environmental impact of fossil fuels. He noted that looking towards more renewable energy will benefit the economy more.
Fahie further said the territory pays millions of dollars annually for fossil fuel as it is imported. To that end, he added the electric shuttles will help greatly in combating carbon emission in Road Town.
The shuttle service will operate in Road Town and will leave from more than 20 different locations in the city. The buses will operate Mondays to Fridays from 7 am to 6 pm and it departs from the starting points every 15 minutes.
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Who will drive them and do the maintenance and charge them and where do we get spare parts? Are they licensed and insured? Where do they go and how often?
And how exactly does this reduce fossil fuels as these vehicles are charged by electricity generated by oil. This s**t only occurs in the BVI. Where is Sir Gary? Please remove these clowns from office and prepare stripped outfits for them.
Why call it a city shuttle when we don’t have a city?
Hope there is complete maintainance and repair infrastructure in place.
One only has to look at the condition of PWD and other departments, over decades, to truly understand the chronic weaknesses in those areas.
If not, this good initiative could go the way of PWD’s vehicular and other assets, for example..
Surely maintenance and charging points should of been thought about prior to purchase?
Charging electric vehicles with electricity produced from burning fossil fuels does not reduce the BVI’s carbon foot print.
Now if only the good Minister would direct his energy and attention to supplying water to the districts who are woefully lacking water for basic necessities.
Good luck with that. The First District has two huge tanks up on the hillside in Carrot Bay and still no water. New Reservoir is suppose to equal more water; right? Well not in the First. So we continue to wait and wait and wait.
Remember all the bus stops now littered around with no glass in them (even before Irma). They have done nothing and seen no bus service. Who go the money for that project?
Its like no one wish to be thankful for good things anymore. Why all this negativity over a good project. This is for all the people. Kudos to the Government. Great job. Good initiative.
I was wondering the same thing, but this govt is like a friend that betrayed you, it is impossible to celebrate anything that they do even if it seems good because u know based on passed experiences that it is likely filled with lies and dishonesty. It is time for them to exit the stage, the damage cannot be repaired
A bunch of morons for elected officials. When is election?
In the BVI, is it only idiots run for office or only idiots vote? Or both?
uhh, how about installing a regularly scheduled bus service around the island? sounds way better…
“it departs from the starting points every 15 minutes.”
when will the schedule be released?
Furthermore, “We cannot continue spending the funding that we have without maintaining them. It is just like our buildings; we cannot build without maintaining them. So, I’m encouraging whoever will oversee these vehicles after it is handover to come up with a schedule so these can be always maintained,”
so you decided to set this service up and get it running, without ensuring you have someone on hand to fix the buses in case they break down or have a check-up to ensure it’s still okay to use? what would you do, pay an exorbitant sum to a local mechanic who might not even know what he’s doing??
don’t even get me started on the fact electricity has to be generated by oil, which is a fossil fuel SMH
this must be a carnival because all i see is clowns
On the other hand it may end up greener if these were diesel powered engines burning biofuel. These electric buggies can only go so far carrying a heavy load.
City Shuttle. AKA S..ty Shuttle