Motorists blast Gov’t over inconvenience of road repairs
No help for motorists
Many callers agreed that the road repairs and other digging up to lay sewerage pipes are very much necessary and long overdue, however, the public is wondering why most of the work goes on during the day, in the middle of rush hour traffic.
They are calling on the NDP government to be more sensitive to the convenience of the drivers who use the public roads by having major works and road paving done at nights when traffic is less, so it does not pose a huge issue to the busy movement of people and goods.
One lady, who identified herself as Janet, told our newsroom that it is bad from the Prospect Reef roundabout to McNamara going east and west bound.
The angry motorist claimed that for the past week or two she has been late for work because the Government in the mist of the rush hour traffic [8:00 AM to 6:00 PM], is digging up the roads, trying to pave it, or otherwise on the road with work crews interrupting the flow of traffic. “That is something they can do at nights,” she said.
When told that there are times when emergencies may cause them to work during rush hour and road work will have to be done during the day, ‘Janet’ said in those situations she can understand but “no one can tell me there have been emergencies for two weeks and you can’t get to work.”
Other times roads are just closed off suddenly for repairs, giving the public no notice and resulting in long waiting time and major inconvenience to the public, sometimes on the weekends going or coming from church, funerals or grocery shopping, some of the irate callers reported.
Hard & costly on vehicles, pedestrians
Another issue the callers raised is the effect of the road repairs to vehicles. They told our news room that some vehicles have received flat tires, while others had to replace shocks directly related to the road repairs they alleged. Others claimed to be afraid to take alternate routes over the hills because of the dangers of the small and narrow roads and the size of trucks and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) having to traverse these roads.
The crews that are usually on the roads doing road rehabilitation and other repairs are from the Public Works and Water and Sewerage Departments, along with some private sector contractors and equipment operators.
The road repairs also result in pot holes when asphalt is removed from the road surface and is left in that condition for weeks, resulting in huge challenges to motorists.
There are also reports that some government workers have refused to work at nights because of issues of overtime payments or inconvenience to them and their families. A senior Public Works Department official said he was not aware of such issues. “That sound like rumours,” he said when told of reports reaching our newsroom.
Pedestrians have also complained that they also suffer as it’s more difficult to cross the roads during the bad road conditions and at certain points because of the pot holes. They claimed too that sometimes motorists will splash water on them, causing embarrassment and much inconvenience as they sometimes have to return home for a change of clothing.
Government response: It’s the drivers’ fault!
According to a Government Information Service press statement issued on December 8, 2015, Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool (R4) appeared to blame motorists, claiming that they must “stop abusing the laws of the roads.”
The Minister also asked that motorists be mindful of the high influx of tourists in the territory and asked drivers to “refrain from abusing the laws of the road.”
The Minister lectured the motorists via his press statement, requesting that they “take time and drive in a manner that the traffic can flow in a safe way.”
33 Responses to “Motorists blast Gov’t over inconvenience of road repairs”
Mark its not the drivers fault for your ministry sloppy and unprofessional work. However if you want to finally inforce legal parking,etc. work with the governors offers for once in getting police doing some work. But the mess going on the actual road is all you!!!
Without good police doing good work its a free for all out here in these streets. The people who want and try to do the right thing backs are against the wall. You call police and they do nothing so -- something got to give and it starts with Government enforcing good law that is meant to protect the people
Trying doing the right thing for all and not just a select few.
Them don't want no dust to blow in on customers in the pub so that is the reason why the paving is going on during the day.
They want good roads, VIP ain't give them the roads but they ain't had a thing to say but because NDP giving them the roads they willful crying foul.
You let them work at night, when they hear how much was paid out in over time pay they will cry again saying those guys sucking on the Gov't nipples!
Set of sick people!