Creary dismisses proposal to turn Highgate cemetery into transport centre

By Racquel Porter  

 

Richard Creary, Chairman of the St. Mary Municipal Corporation, is rubbishing a suggestion to transform the Highgate cemetery into a transport centre.

 

Mr. Creary has said the proposal will not be considered.

 

But he promised that changes are coming to alleviate traffic congestion in Highgate come July 1.

 

Last month, transport operators called for the cemetery to be relocated, saying the property should be used as a transport centre.

 

But speaking at the St. Mary Municipal Corporation's monthly meeting on Thursday, Mr. Creary said he was surprised by the suggestion. 

 

"There are hundreds of graves buried in the Highgate cemetery. Long before I was born, people were buried in the Highgate cemetery, and even the thought of exuming so many bodies, it's just not physically possible and it would be an expensive venture," he said, adding that one must "respect the dead". 

 

Mr. Creary said discussions with stakeholders during traffic meetings are ongoing.

 

He outlined that with the redevelopment of the Highgate market, the municipality will be able to relocate transport operators.

 

Admitting that it takes 20 to 30 minutes to get through the town of Highgate, Mr. Creary said he has already implemented a number of measures, including the numbering of properties, to deal with the congestion. He said other measures are being discussed. 

 

"One way is to start enforcing the parking on one side of the roadway. We will be having traffic wardens similar to what we have in Port Maria. We will be charging for that parking a minimal fee, as we do in Port Maria, and we will be creating designated parking areas for the delivery trucks. So we will create probably three parking bays. All delivery trucks will have to use those parking bays and cart the goods to the various locations, as is done in Port Maria now."     

 

These measures should should be implemented by July 1.