Motorists who have grown accustomed using the Priority Bus Route (PBR) as an alternative route to and from Port-of-Spain will no longer have that opportunity in the new year.
The Ministry of Works and Transport in a release stated that the experimental scheme, which allowed private motor vehicles to use the PBR when occupied by three or more people to access the PBR between 4 am and 6 am and 8.30 am and 3 pm, ends today. The fine for the unauthorised use of the PBR is $2,000.
Social activist Phillip Alexander in a post on Facebook said he believed the decision was an attempt by the Government to force a justification for a mass transit system.
“One is left to assume that the only reason for cancelling this initiative is to worsen the peak time highway traffic nightmare for commuters so as to force a justification for a mass transit system, as otherwise the announcement without explanation makes little sense,” Alexander said.
He added that the programme was built on encouraging car pooling which is one of the best ways to lower carbon footprint and reduce traffic by extension. He added that the Minister of Works and Transport, Fitzgerald Hinds, owed the nation an explanation “beyond this high-handed and almost contemptuous release.”
Frequent PBR user, Terrence Narine, of Arouca, said he had welcomed the use of the PBR, which was introduced by former works minister Jack Warner in 2010.
“It did me and my co-workers great. It brought us relief because travelling on morning and evening in traffic every day, five times a week is not easy from the east all the way to the west.
“This is the worst thing that can be done right now. Come Monday when school reopens and new year with everyone coming back out from holidays, I dread this,” he added.