The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) has unveiled plans for new transport arrangements for downtown Kingston.
The new plans follow the recent completion of the multi-million dollar Urban Transport Centre located at Water Lane, near Pechon Street, which is to start operations on January 15.
UDC officials disclosed that transportation arrangements were put in place following recent meetings with key stakeholders.
The new changes will see designated terminal points for public passenger vehicles.
As a result, rural buses plying eastern routes - namely St.
Mary, St. Thomas and Portland, will terminate in Terminal One, on Water Lane.
Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) sub-licence operators will terminate in the Pechon Street facility which is to be upgraded to facilitate the new arrangements.
Route taxis will terminate in Taxi Park One on Water Lane, while Hackney Carriages will use designated stands, at six locations.
These operators will use lay-bys at North Parade and South Parades, and the intersection of King Street and Barry Street.
Other designated stands are King and Tower Streets, Darling Street/Ebenezer Close, and Pechon Street.
All JUTC buses will now operate out of North Parade and South Parade.
Cecil Morgan, General Manager for Operations at the Transport Authority, says, coming out of the recent stakeholders meetings, all issues raised had seen an amicable resolution.
Security arrangements in place
And the Jamaica Constabulary Force is promising adequate security for commuters using the new, downtown Urban Transport Centre.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Gervais Taylor, who heads Area Four, says a security framework is ready for implementation.
ACP Taylor says commuters will move from Parade in downtown Kingston, to the new facility, with the assistance of mobile and beat police personnel.
Similar security arrangements will also be in place for the existing Darling Street facility.
At the same time, a command post manned by Island Special Constabulary Force personnel will be in operation.
ACP Taylor says the Kingston West, Kingston Central and Area Four police will also be providing support.
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