Stakeholders want fully pedestrianised Falmouth

Western Bureau:

Superintendent Clive Blair, the commanding officer for the Trelawny Police Division, has admitted that the out-of-control traffic situation in Falmouth has made it very difficult for officers to effectively police the resort town.

Addressing a recent Gleaner Growth Forum in Falmouth, the senior lawman intimated that he would support the call of those persons who want to see the entire township of Falmouth transformed into a pedestrianised hub.

"Somehow the town is congested and it poses a serious challenge for pedestrians and visitors alike and even for the police to police," said Blair, who has been the commander for the parish for just under a year.

"If the town is configured in a way that you have visitors and pedestrians come in, at least they would walk and not have vehicles traversing certain aspects of the town. At least it would cut down on the congestion," said Blair.

However, despite the challenges being faced, Blair said his officers will continue to do their best.

However, he used the opportunity to urge the relevant authorities to look at the current situation with a view of making the necessary improvements.

Like Blair, Falmouth Mayor Garth Wilkinson said he too was not happy with the town's traffic congestion problem, which he blames on poor traffic management.

"We have a serious issue and have to get rid of the vehicles from inside the town," said Wilkinson, noting that is why it is important to get the proposed Falmouth Transportation Centre up and running as quickly as possible.

"We have our historic sites that the vehicles are parked up at, which is why we are looking at a transportation centre," said Wilkinson.

"We need to have that transport centre in place urgently."

Shift commercial area

Delroy Christie, the acting president of the Trelawny Chamber of Commerce, said he believed the town's commercial district should be shifted into the Market Street area, which would take away the congestion from the town centre.

"What I think we should do is to as, rapidly as we can, get those lands properly developed, putting in infrastructure down there and get the commercial heirs of Falmouth to move down to Market Street," said Christie.

"Get the traffic to come out of Falmouth and let the town become a true tourist hub."

Water Square, in the town centre, is currently pedestrianised. At the time that decision was taken, it caused a big uproar among members of the business community who complained that the move created limited visitor presence.