BVI News

Gov’t rolling out ‘Park and Ride’ initiative in RT to ease traffic congestion during Xmas

Kye Rymer

The Ministry of Transportation, Works and Utilities will be launching a pilot initiative entitled the ‘Holiday Season Park and Ride’ in Road Town on Monday, December 16.

A media release from the Ministry of Transportation said the initiative is aimed at addressing the traffic congestion experienced within the capital during the Christmas season.

Transportation Minister Kye Rymer explained that persons using the $1 service will have to park their vehicle at the Festival Grounds in Road Town, where they will be escorted in electric carts to multiple points in the capital.

“Persons will be able to hop on and ride into the city of Road Town, and be dropped off to do their shopping, banking, dining, or even visit their favourite place in the city for just one dollar. The Park and Ride schedule will be posted in the media and around town.”

Meanwhile, Premier Andrew Fahie is also encouraging persons to use the shuttle service, as it not only reduces congestion but also creates a more pedestrian-friendly environment for commuters.

The route by which the shuttle service will travel in and out of Road Town will start at the Festival Grounds, pass along DeCastro Street and onto Norman Fowler Drive, Administration Drive, and through to the Cyril B Romney Tortola Pier Park.

“The return is along the Ralph T. O’Neal Administration Complex to Road Town onto Waterfront Drive, right onto Customs Street; right onto Main Street to Flemming Street; left onto Fishlock Road; right onto Pickering Road; Station Avenue and back to the Festival Grounds,” the release said.

This initiative will run until Christmas Even in Tuesday, December 24.

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25 Comments

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  1. BVi says:

    Finally. A positive step in the right direction.
    How about introducing a bicyclist share scheme and bike lanes like many many other cities have introduced.
    You could have electric bicycles as well as more traditional bicycles.
    I’m sure residents and tourists would enjoy using these. Not only would they reduce congestion and demand for parking spaces but they would keep people fit also.
    Central Road Town is pretty much entirely flat so it’s perfect and all ages and fitness levels could cycle.
    If you had a large ‘dock’ for bicycle sharing at the festival ground parking lot and then numerous smaller dock throughout the town I’m sure this would further encourage car drivers to park out of the center since you wouldn’t have to wait for the electric cart.

    Like 18
    Dislike 4
  2. Sorry says:

    Boss everybody broke, you won’t have a traffic problem this Christmas, TRUST ME ON THAT!

    Like 12
    Dislike 14
  3. Headless Chicken says:

    This is good. However, as just about everyone else has noticed – ever since the traffic lights started working the traffic has been a problem. Before that, it actually ran pretty smooth. The circulatory system really needs to be seriously evaluated.

    Like 25
    Dislike 3
    • hype says:

      No there are just too many cars on the island. every time the japanese barge comes in there are tons of cars! The island is over populated with cars!

      Like 10
      Dislike 15
      • @Hype says:

        The road network and enforcement of traffic laws are our problems, not the number of cars on the road. There are too many bottle necks causing traffic to be disrupted hence the back ups. Look at over near bobbys, persons drive into the parking lot across the road then pull out on the road trying to turn towards the roundabout. What happens? Well they pull out, blocking the lane heading towards scotia and even blocking the other lanes so then it backs up towards the highway then you have a massive clusterf**k! Same issue with down near waterfront etc. Also if more people used the bypass roads and not park in the roadways etc. things would run much smoother. Another issue is the no turn areas which should be reconsidered to improve traffic flow.

  4. 5th says:

    This guy cant get anything right, plus who is running this shuttle service?

    Like 6
    Dislike 21
  5. Tony says:

    I wonder if the tender process was waived on this as well, monkey man.

    Like 9
    Dislike 5
    • Hmp says:

      You all keep coming on here with these lame tender waiver blogs. The processes now being used for the waiver process are much better than letting the system suffer to give it to who we want. Stop while you all ahead. Sick of aryo now. Whatever need waiving would be things that should have been done years ago. Nuff said. Find another port.

  6. Longshanks says:

    Nice. Can we have a payment app though rather than $1 bill.

  7. Wasted Money. says:

    The traffic lights a mere nuisance, and a traffic hinderance, but the upper ups will never admit that they are a failed regulatory application to traffic woes and turn them off. Instead, they leave them on and suffer every one.

    Perhaps, they can be useful outside of rush hor traffic, but during those rush peaks, they utterly useless and a complete hinderance.

    Frankly, they are a waste of money, brains and technology if one cares to be frank about it.

    Like 14
    Dislike 2
    • Too True says:

      I agree the traffic lights at the end of Admin Drive are a total hindrance to traffic flow. Why not just get rid of them & make a roundabout? There is plenty of room there for that!

      Like 8
      Dislike 5
    • @Wasted says:

      The lights, especially the ones on waterfront drive were a condition of the cruise lines bringing thousands of people here. That’s the only reason they are up despite the fact that they’re causing pure havoc on the motoring public. All we need at busy hours and cruise days are traffic cops that DO THEIR JOB! The lights are a f*** and need to be taken down.

      Like 7
      Dislike 1
  8. Me says:

    Boss, use technology. Hear Premier say digital is way to go. I can pay with my phone why I gotta find and give someone a dollar. Plus it’s more accountability and transparency.

    • ? says:

      @Me

      It cost you more than $1 when you pay by card. You rather give the card companies and banks the fees? Crab in the barrel mentality.

  9. Roy says:

    BOSSMAN FIX THE ROADS, DO 1 THING PROPERLY, FIX THE BASICS ROAD, WATER, LIGHTS OH RIGHT THEY TOOK THE LIGHTS AWAY, THE COMPLEX OVER THE NEXT YEAR SO WE DONT HAVE TO PAY YOUR FAMILY RENT FOR 5 YEARS.

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
  10. My observation says:

    It is very interesting that to use the service you will have to come into the middle of town. How will this ease the traffic. Only for the people coming from east. You need somewhere outside of town Like across from the hospital so that people coming from west don’t have to come into town.

    Like 8
    Dislike 1
  11. fbi says:

    kye, you seems not to be paying attention, this is a waste of time my boy, for the past four 4 Christmas you could actually count the amount of vehicles in town, place gone dead by 11pm, no need for that, people do not have monies to spend like that anymore, between 2002-2010 i could understand, but not now, not necessary.

  12. ? says:

    Finally, someone is doing something about a problem that a previous administration told the taxi associations to deal with and refused, and now many are worried about who is actually carrying it out? This is not a government company, it is a private enterprise. The taxi associations had their chance to do something about it and failed to get it done. So what if the person may be a relative of the minister. The fact is that someone is doing something about a long standing problem without government monetary help. Get with the program my people. Be the change that you want to see. Get involved! Stop complaining and do something! I am sick and tired of the bias criticism.

  13. ? says:

    These old cars from Japan are now littering the roadsides and elsewhere when the owners can buy the parts because they are too expensive….headlamp lights for $200, etc or the part no longer being made. Need moratorium legislation on the age, make and models of vehicles. Say for pickups and trucks 15 years on certain models; and SUVs, cars and buses 10 years on certain make and models. All used cars must go through a dealer. There are black market sales going on in the BVI and no taxes are paid to the government for them except for custom duties. No trade licence fees, and no payroll taxes from business transacting…all the profits are kept with the owners. Those vehicles for personal use has to prove that it was their primary car at home and must be 5 years old or less and is a left hand drive vehicle. Only right hand vehicles for those used in the public transit system or where the openings and exit are on the left hand side.

  14. SMH says:

    itis NOT XMAS( which is indicative of a mass unknown,) It is CHRISTMAS.

    Thank you.

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