North and South Parade Bus Bays in Downtown Kingston to Be Revamped

Changes are coming to the bus bays at North and South Parade in downtown Kingston to improve the travel experience for commuters.

Those under consideration include the installation of safety rails, canopies to provide shelter from the sun and rain, seats, signage, streetlights, designated bus service for students, and general reorganisation of the bays, which are mainly utilised by the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC).

The bays facilitate JUTC and other transport stakeholder buses traversing routes between downtown Kingston and Half-Way Tree, Harbour View and upper St. Andrew, as well as Spanish Town and Portmore in St. Catherine.

Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Hon. Daryl Vaz, made the disclosure while addressing journalists during a tour and assessment of the bays on Thursday (January 18).

Among the issues highlighted were vehicular traffic congestion, vending, and parking in unauthorised zones.

Minister Vaz said based on these and other factors, “there is definitive need for some changes to be made here logistically to [make] the place more customer-friendly”.

He advised that, to this end, a committee comprising representatives of the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), Transport Authority (TA), Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB) and JUTC will be assembled to oversee the project.

“Change is coming and we are going to make the experience a better experience, while we look about the importation of the new buses to make the frequency and the reliability and the timeliness of buses on their routes [better]. [We want to ensure] that persons have a safe and comfortable experience. In the coming weeks and months, you will see definitive changes down here,” the Minister said.

Mayor of Kingston, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams, who accompanied the Minister, said the preparations to upgrade the infrastructure are already under way, noting that the improvements will bring order to the transportation system in the area.

“There is the need to [redesign the area to create] order on entering public transport. As it is now, there is a crowding of persons to enter… the buses. So by just redesigning, you could create [the queues] that flow into the buses. I believe this is a significant and important project to take on,” he said.

Mr. Vaz was also accompanied by representatives from the Ministry, JUTC, TA, and PSTEB.

Thursday’s tour was the second in a series of scheduled visits to transport centres and bays utilised by the JUTC, following the implementation of a temporary reduction in fares for commuters using the State-run bus company’s services, effective January 1, 2024.