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Concrete replaces demarcation lines at Stabroek Minibus Park
Concrete blocks have replaced demarcation lines at the routes 45, 41 and 46 Minibus Park,
Public work employees placing the concrete blocks along the demarcation lines of the tarmac.
after initial efforts by ranks of the A’ Division of the Police Traffic Department to regularize the parking facility failed.
The police have implemented stringent measures less than one week after a new parking system was put in place, to avoid chaos among commuters and minibus operators at the Stabroek Market.
Last week, workers of the Public Works Ministry assisted ranks of the traffic department to paint yellow demarcation lines on the tarmac. The lines represented lanes for designated minibus operators. Two lanes were designated route 41(Guyhoc /South), two lanes to route 46 (Stabroek/Lodge) and three lanes route 45 (Main Street/ Lamaha).
However, owing to the absence of vigilant traffic ranks to ensure order, minibus operators fell short of observing the new rules and the area soon returned to its regular state of chaos.
As such, a decision was taken to place concrete blocks to replace the painted demarcation. Yesterday, the poles were placed on the tarmac by workers of the Public Works Ministry.
In a brief interview with this newspaper, Head of the ‘A’ Division Traffic Department, Calvin Brutus, explained that the system was implemented to bring order and deter the actions of ‘hot plate’ minibus operators.
“The problem that we find is with the hot plate operators, who don’t want to join the line and come in the park to load in an orderly manner. They try to force through the demarcation or park around the edges of the tarmac so that they can load fast, “Brutus said as he explained that the initial demarcations were temporary.
“We had always planned to implement the concrete blocks because we know the culture among road users in Guyana. Lines and markings placed along the road for navigation purposes are often violated. The concrete columns will better enforce the kind of order that is needed out here.”
Brutus said that the concrete blocks will separate the three main operations at the Stabroek Market tarmac.
“This will prevent intermingling of the three main operators, which will ease the chaos. Every set of operators will have their lane and points of entrance and exit under the new system,” Brutus said.
He says that plans are in the pipeline to implement similar systems at various minibus parks.
“However, there may not be need for implementation of the concrete blocks since most of the other parks are quite orderly, so the line demarcation will suffice for now.”
Meanwhile, observers expressed concerns over the absence of adequate lighting system and touts operating in the vicinity of the Bus Park.
“They need to put in lights because plenty time, people does get rob out here especially in the night. The confusion and so people does have to be extra careful …them touts adding to the confusion,” one man noted.
Michael Moore, a representative of United Minibus Union expressed his concerns. “The only problem we have now is with the front part of our lane. We park in one park, we operating Main Street /Lamaha alone and we got three lanes. We don’t need three lanes because it encouraging the touts.”
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