Petrol prices take toll

Chad Bryan, Gleaner Writer

Those persons who decided to live in the housing developments which sprung up along Highway 2000 in St Catherine and Clarendon would naturally have expected to pay significant travelling costs if they drove to and from work or school in Kingston. These would have been offset by the lower purchase and rental prices, compared to the city.

Among the earlier developments were Magil Palms, the Vineyards and Inswood. Over time have come the Aviary, Seville Meadows, Whitewater Meadows, New Harbour Village I, New Harbour Village II and Presidential Estate.

However, chances are they would not have been prepared for the skyrocketing fuel prices and increases in the highway toll, which have added substantially to the costs of driving back and forth. And there is no relief in sight, as they are likely to dig even deeper into their pockets for petrol, especially, in the coming months.

Fuel prices in 2013 are approximately five times what they were in 2003.

In 2003, the toll was $50 for category one vehicles (which includes cars), $60 for category two vehicles (which includes SUVs) and $120 for category three vehicles (which includes buses and trucks). Around that time, unleaded 87 octane moved from $16.07 to $23.50 per litre and automotive diesel moved from $14.75 to $22.96 per litre.

continuous increase

From December 2006 into January 2007, construction of the first phase of the New Harbour Village housing scheme began. Toll prices in April 7, 2007, went up from $180 to $190 for category one vehicles, from $230 to $250 for category two, and for category three it moved from $450 up to $480. In 2007, it cost between $65 and $70 per litre for gasolene. Phases two and three of the same housing scheme began in September/October of 2009.

Construction of Presidential Estates began in December 2009. Around this time, at the Spanish Town Toll Plaza, motorists driving category one vehicles would pay $80 (up from $70), category two would cost $90 (up from $110) and category three $210 (up from $180). Motorists using the Portmore Toll Plaza would pay $120 for class one (up from $100), category two would pay $170 (up from 140) and category three $340 (up from $280). At the Vineyards Toll Plaza, category one vehicles moved from $230 to $270, category two moved from $310 to $370 and category three jumped from $580 to $700.

feeling the pinch

Now in 2013, with the prices of 87 and 97 octane costing $114 and $120 per litre, respectively, and automotive diesel being sold for close to 90 octane prices, motorists in St Catherine who make the daily trek are feeling the pinch. Doneath Morrison explained that in 2007 to travel back and forth from Kingston and New Harbour Village would cost approximately $3,000 a week, while presently it costs $5,000 weekly ($20,000 monthly) for the same journey.

She has had to change with the rising prices. "Since living in New Harbour for six years, I have to adjust. It is just something that I have to do," she said.

Using public transportation instead of driving is not an option, as it would end up being even more expensive. "If I take the bus, is $500 per person and it's a family of three. Living here, however, is more convenient than where I am coming from in Linstead. I have two roads that I can drive though, the toll and the old roads," Morrison explained.

Name changed to protect identity.