Corporate Area road projects need to be urgently addressed ahead of Christmas – Phillips

People’s National Party Spokesperson on Transport and Works, Mikael Phillips, says there is an urgent need to address protracted road projects that he says continues to  impact businesses, residences, and commuters in the Corporate Area.

“We are now a month before the end of the year, the Christmas season is almost here and businesses, commuters, and communities continue to suffer as the road work is still incomplete. Where sections have been paved, there are signs of shoddy work, some areas have collapsed and questions must be raised about the general quality of the work being done,” said Phillips.

Phillips argued that the projects have been poorly managed and problem-plagued.

“Constant Spring Road was said to be 75-per cent completed and was expected to be finished by August 16 while the Hagley Park Road was said to be 85-per cent completed. That road was given a new deadline, having missed the previous deadline of June 12,” Phillips pointed out.

He said several deadlines for the completion of the roads have passed and there is still no end in sight.

“What is clear is that there are major defects in the standard of work with sections of the road collapsing shortly after being paved. The shoddy work quality has also shown up in the constant digging up of parts of the newly constructed Constant Spring Road and the issue of broken water mains continue to plague the project, rendering water lock-offs in some communities,” Phillips said.

According to him, many businesses along Hagley Park Road, in particular, are still not able to return to normal operations as the road remains incomplete and whenever it rains their entrances become impassable.

“The Corporate Area is like an obstacle course for both motorists and pedestrians alike. Traffic pile-up has become the norm in and outside of peak hours. No one can be sure what will happen during the normal rush hours leading up to the holidays. This is unacceptable,” the opposition spokesperson said.

He said the Government through NWA urgently needs to take full control of supervising and monitoring the projects.

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