Gleaner file photo
The Toll Authority has reacted to reports that police personnel responding to a crash involving one of their colleagues on Saturday night were prevented from continuing on the North-South Highway because of non-payment of the toll.
Police Constable Donald Carr was on his way to work when his car overturned and landed in a ditch in the vicinity of Golden Grove.
He later died in hospital.
In a statement, the Toll Authority said preliminary reports from the operators indicate that the vehicle which collected the injured officer and transported him to St. Ann's Bay Hospital had to pay at one toll booth but was given free access to exit at another, once the situation was explained to the attendant.
It says protocol dictates that an attendant must seek approval from a supervisor in order to grant the toll exemption.
According to the Toll Authority, this process is usually done in less than 90 seconds.
It says preliminary reports from the operators concerning the incident state that there was no issue in the Public Safety & Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB) Highway Patrol Unit gaining access to the highway to attend to the crash site.
The agency explained that as first responders, members of the PSTEB maintain electronic access to the toll roads.
The Authority, having consulted with its chairman as well as Transport Minister Audley Shaw, is moving to advance existing plans to expand the number of JCF service vehicles with the electronic access beyond the PSTEB Highway Patrol Unit, which currently has responsibility for monitoring the North-South Highway.
Minister Shaw has also committed to a further detailed review of the policies and procedures.
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