LOC Finalising Contracts with Park and Ride Sites

The Jamaica Local Organising Committee (LOC) is in the process of finalising contracts with owners of selected park and ride sites for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.
Among the park and ride sites currently under negotiation for Sabina Park are the National Stadium, Up Park Camp, National Heroes Park and a nearby Urban Development Corporation (UDC) parking lot. On the list for the Trelawny Stadium are the Rock playfield, Daniel Town playfield, Hague showgrounds, Elleston Wakeland youth centre, and the Old Dump site.
Speaking at a recent press briefing held at the offices of the LOC, Major Desmon Brown, Chairman of the Transport Sub-Committee for the Jamaica LOC, said that the negotiation process was far advanced. “We do have the contracts in hand for these areas and we are currently negotiating with all the clients and we hope to be successful,” he said. “However, we have some back-up sites if we are unable to finalise agreements with the owners of the preferred sites,” the Major added.
In terms of the movement of spectators to and from Sabina Park from the selected sites, Major Brown disclosed that a total of 36 buses, comprising 31 standard and five articulated models would be used to transport patrons to the venue before match time, while 70 buses, comprising 60 standard and 10 articulated would be utilised after the matches.
“The reason for the different number of buses is that usually you have about two hours to fill your stadium, but we are required to move everybody within an hour at the end of the match,” he explained.
The situation will be no different at the Trelawny stadium, as some 61 buses will be used to transport patrons from park and ride sites before the matches and opening ceremony, and 87 buses after the events.
Adequate transportation will be provided for the physically challenged to both venues. Discussions are underway between the Committee and the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) to make two buses available for this important group of cricket fans.
The designated park and ride facilities for these buses will be at the National Heroes Park for the Sabina Park venue and Hague showgrounds near the Trelawny Stadium.
Commenting further on some of special features of the park and ride and park and walk areas, Major Brown said that each site would be colour coded, as well as the buses to ensure as little confusion as possible.Aside from the park and ride facility, Major Brown pointed out that there would be three walk routes to Sabina Park, the main one being from National Heroes Park, which is .86 km from the venue. The others are from Up Park Camp, which is .5 km and the drop off location at Jessie Ripoll Primary, which is .39 km.
“All of these routes have been sent to the security committee because they have to sign off on all of them. We will not allow anybody to walk in areas not approved by the security committee,” he informed.
With respect to a possible park and walk site near the Trelawny Stadium, the Major said that negotiations were underway for a park and walk site nearer to the venue. “We do not want to double handle those persons coming in on buses, meaning that we do not want them to leave one bus to go into another bus,” he pointed out.