BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - AS an extension of its bus stop initiative, the Traffic Department has informed of the erection of the first of a number of bus stop shelters to be constructed across the island.
Sometime in June 2012, the Traffic Department began the process of placing demarcations and appropriate signage along the roads in the Basseterre area in preparation for the enforcement of the Bus Stop Law.
And as part of that thrust, the Head of the Traffic Department – Inspector Cromwell Henry –informed that, over time, some of the areas would be fitted with bus stop shelters.
The first of these now stands along the Island’s Main Road directly opposite Best Buy Supermarket at Buckley’s Site.
The aesthetically-pleasing facility that provides not only for a space under which persons – who are waiting for public transportation – can shelter from the elements, but it also has a space for them to sit and rest their legs.
Inspector Henry explained that while this leg of the project is being coordinated by his Department, it was made possible through the assistance of corporate citizens and other partners.
“Scotia Bank, in celebration of its 30th anniversary – wanted to do something for the community and offered to sponsor the full cost of a bus shelter at the Buckley’s Bus Stop. It is actually a joint effort between the Public Works Department which assisted by preparing the foundation and surfacing of the pull off area, the Planning Unit which prepared the plan for the project and the Ministry of Finance which provided import concession for the project.”
The Inspector explained that the Traffic Department is hoping to erect several bus shelters across the island, for which this would be the model. However, in areas where the space would not accommodate this size, a smaller design – which would not cater for seating – would be used.
He said consideration is being given to “placing solar lighting fixture to improve the security at the bus shelter at nights”.
A word of admonition was given to both bus operators and commuters, “to use the areas designed for picking up and putting off passengers and to keep the bus shelters clean. We also ask that you report any act of vandalism that you may notice…”
Concerning the other bus stop shelters to be erected, the Inspector informed that “we have received offers from a number of companies which we are pursuing and others are more than welcomed to make offers towards this project.”
