Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
Policemen in disguise nab touts on bus parks-arrests escalate daily…
Touts being bundled into waiting police patrol cars yesterday by uniformed and plainclothes ranks.
Touts who still plagued the minibus parks in the city got the shock of their lives, yesterday, when police ranks in civilian clothing brought an abrupt halt to their continuously raucous operations.
This time around, the police have kept a grip of their campaign and have managed to deliver the sustained approach they had promised when this newspaper featured an article on the harassment commuters endured at the hands of the touts just recently.
Yesterday, the touts had no time to breathe or to escape when plainclothes policemen joined forces with uniformed ranks in a move that saw another 17 touts being arrested, upping the number to 117 from Wednesday last.
Touts on the Timehri, East Coast, South Ruimveldt and Plaisance bus parks having no clue that plainclothes ranks were in their midst, were having quite a spree the minute uniformed ranks moved to other sections of the city.
It was a sight to see eyes popping open in surprise and jaws dropping when the plainclothes ranks pounced on them as they attempted to tug and harass passengers.
Some touts tried to put up a fight, but were soon overpowered when the uniformed ranks stepped in to render as
Police ranks get ready to tow away a car illegally parked in a space reserved for minibuses on the Timehri bus park.
sistance.
Police Sergeant W. Wickham who headed the exercise yesterday, vowed that he was going to do all in his power to rid the park of the menace, to ensure commuters enjoy pleasant experiences on the bus parks, and be able to travel in practically
any vehicle of their choice, minus harassment.
On the Timehri bus parks, touts who were caught by surprise jumped into parked buses pretending to be passengers, but plainclothes ranks observing them soon dragged them out and bundled them into waiting police patrol cars.
The bus parks were abuzz yesterday with activity and police were seen reprimanding bus drivers and conductors, and even the short drop car operators. They came in for much scolding and for failing to fill their vehicles when their turns actually arrived.
It was all order and discipline on the short-drop car parks yesterday
Taxi and hire car drivers were left fuming at some locations when police with great intolerance used tow trucks to remove vehicles that were parked illegally. There were mixed emotions on the bus parks with commuters applauding the police actions, while associates of the touts were fuming under their breaths.
Yesterday, buses and cars were parked quite nicely at every location and the absence of the touts certainly promoted a refreshing atmosphere to the city. Murmurs of approval were heard all around, while police ranks were given the thumbs-up sign by passersby.
The new move by the police comes just on the heels of articles carried by this publication, as citizens called for a sustained
approach towards campaigns against touts on the bus parks.
There have been many campaigns to rid the parks of touts, but none has been sustained. Police Traffic Chief, Superintendent Linden Isles, in a recent interview had promised a sustained approach, which he hopes will rid the parks of touts for good.
From all accounts, it appears as though this has finally begun. Touts and unlicensed conductors are an issue commuters have had to endure for ages.
Noted also was that there was a significant decrease of ‘double parking,’ which had created chaos around the city.
Just recently, bus drivers have been receiving lectures on conduct and attire as well by police officers.
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