San Fernando West MP Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan is calling on visitors to the city to utilise the Park & Ride service provided by the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) during the hectic Christmas season.
Seepersad-Bachan was speaking at the launch on Friday at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA). PTSC’s deputy general manager Carl Ramdeo was also present. The service allows the public to park at SAPA and take the bus into San Fernando for $20 per car from 7 am to 6 pm daily. This is the second year the service has been implemented in San Fernando.
The launch of Port-of-Spain’s Park and Ride Service took place last week on Tuesday. “We are calling on all citizens to use it, especially those who are coming from outside of San Fernando to utilise the service,” she said. “I know that sometimes we need to make a culture shift to adapt to the park and ride system.” She said there are many benefits to the service, including protecting the environment.
“It will be safe, stress-free, they won’t have to sit in congestion, they’ll be in safe, comfortable buses, their cars will be secure, and very important is the impact on our environment, as well.” Seepersad-Bachan called on the PTSC to make the service permanent in San Fernando.
“As I did last year, I am once again appealing to PTSC: we want this to become a permanent park-and-ride facility for San Fernando. It may not be this particular parking facility, it could be another. And we also want to include a park-and-ride to and from the ferry service.” She announced plans to use the space at the back of the San Fernando Teaching Hospital as a carpark for those using the hospital and build an administrative complex in Tarouba.
“The Prime Minister had spoken about putting the administrative complex outside on the highway, therefore people don’t have to come into San Fernando for all of these services. Ramdeo said there are plans to move the PTSC hub out of San Fernando. “We have plans to set up a major hub in Tarouba which are already done, we are just awaiting funding,” said Ramdeo. “We want to build a mall area around the hub, so you can acess fast foods and other services at the same time.”