BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AS the Public Works Department put plans in place to reconstruct the badly-damaged Irishtown Bay Road, the Traffic Department has implemented a temporary west line bus route.
The inclement weather, which affected St. Kitts and Nevis last week, resulted in the undermining of the section of road that sits at the front of Sea View Gardens at the Irishtown Bay Road. Access to this road has been blocked by the Police Traffic Department.
Ordinarily, buses travelling from the western end of the island would enter the heart of Basseterre via the Bay Road and offload passengers either at the Bay Road Bus Terminal or elsewhere. Likewise, busses travelling from Basseterre into the western side of the country would traverse the Bay Road to exit the heart of the city.
Until the road is repaired, the Traffic Department has prescribed a route that west line bus operators must follow.
“The Licensing Authority wishes to inform the general public that the following traffic directions will be implemented as of Monday 11th October 2010. As a result of the damages done to the Irish Town Bay Road, the West Line Bus Route will be temporarily rerouted as follows: (a) Buses travelling from West Line to Basseterre will travel down Cunningham Street, down Fort Thomas Road, right into Lower Fiennes Avenue and then left onto Bay Road to Bus Terminal. (b) Upon leaving Bus Terminal Basseterre they will travel west along Bay Road, right into Fiennes Avenue, left into Central Street and then right into Cunningham Street.”
Acting Head of the Traffic Department Sergeant Calvin Amory made an appeal to bus operators and to residents of the McKnight/Irishtown areas to conduct themselves in accordance with the temporary restrictions.
“We at the Traffic Department are appealing to motorists to exercise caution when travelling in this area, bearing in mind that this is a residential area, and we are asking all to be cautious when driving. We are also appealing to pedestrians and residents in that area to exercise patience while increased traffic flows through your area. This is only a temporary measure and it is to ensure safety of the motoring public. We apologise for any inconvenience that this temporary change may cause and we express thanks for your understanding.”
The motoring public is asked to remember that the speed limit in built-up/residential areas is 20 MPH and that due care and attention must be exercised while in those areas.
