Long-standing traffic issues persist in Mandeville

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The ongoing congestion and parking issues are becoming a problem in Mandeville town because of an increase in the population and, therefore, traffic.

It was said that this new traffic control system (one-way), which was implemented by the National Works Agency (NWA) on December 10, 2023, cost approximately J$75 million. There has been no visible improvement. In fact, the problem seems worse. Schoolchildren are walking in the streets, and vehicles are parked in pedestrian areas, creating a nightmare for drivers. Business owners share the same concern, shoppers fear they will be stuck in an hour of traffic and chaos. Councillors from the Manchester Municipal Corporation (MMC) even raised their voices about the matter at the January monthly meeting, stating that the changes made by the NWA were not working.

A multi-faceted approach is required from the NWA and the MMC. Residents need active solutions that include stricter enforcement of parking, as the transformation of pedestrian sidewalks into a provisional car park must be addressed with ongoing towing and fines on the sidewalks.

Moreover, Mandeville is home to several private institutions, such as churches and private plazas, that often sit half-empty at various times throughout the week. The MMC can negotiate “shared parking” agreements to make better use of these spaces. For instance, a church parking lot could be made available for public parking on weekdays, while a business parking lot could serve as overflow parking on Saturdays when many shoppers are out. This approach will reduce the need for the government to invest in a multi-million-dollar parking system that may ultimately fail.

A major cause of this nightmare is the delivery of trucks and taxis stopping in the middle of the road because there’s nowhere else to go. This issue can be resolved by converting two to three street parking spots on major blocks into 15-minute loading zones only. This would only cost paint and signage.

We don’t need a multi-million-dollar system that fails on day one. We need common sense, low-budget fixes that can be made in a month. By using tactical road paint to protect our children, negotiating shared parking with local organisations, and enforcing 15-minute loading zones for our businesses, we can restore order to the town of Mandeville without utilising a big chunk of money.

ESTHER LEVENE

AKEIL VASSIL

Mandeville, Manchester