Roadtown, Tortola - In response to increased public concerns and representation made regarding the installation of traffic lights at the Road Town Roundabout, Government has decided to re-evaluate the vehicular flow in the area.

Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE, acting on those concerns has thought it best that Government temporarily turn off the lights at the Road Town Roundabout because of the high volume of traffic associated with the re-opening of school and to allow officials in the Ministry of Communications and Works to re-evaluate traffic issues within the Territory and to make recommendations to relieve traffic congestion in Road Town.

“We have heard the cries of the people and we have brought JoClaud Enterprises Limited technicians back to the Territory to come up with the best possible solution for the roundabout,” stated the Minister for Communications and Works, Hon. Julian Fraser, RA.

According to the minister, the technicians have made many changes to the lights, one of which includes minimising the phasing at the roundabout.  “Instead of four-phase sequencing the technicians have reduced it to two.  Now DeCastro [from Scotiabank to the Omar Hodge Building] and Flemming Streets [from McKelly’s to Wickham’s Service Station] will run concurrently and James Walter Francis and Waterfront Drive will run concurrently; this will significantly reduce waiting periods in half and add more green time to the lights,” Minister Fraser noted.

In addition to revising the sequencing, the exclusive pedestrian right of way has been eliminated, which according to the Director of JoClaud Enterprises, Mr. John C. Samuel, “makes the lights more efficient”.

“Once the lights are turned back on, they will be tested again for a period of one month to see how the technicians’ adjustments will impact the flow of traffic. Following the testing period, decisions will be made as to the future of the traffic lights and other road traffic plans for Road Town,” Minister Fraser concluded.

The traffic lights, which were commissioned during a ceremony on August 20, have been the subject of much debate.  The Ministry of Communications and Works has been working with the technicians to achieve a product which will be beneficial to all, to help reduce the traffic congestion in Road Town and to provide a more pedestrian friendly capital.