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Toll Anger
Motorists forced to beg as tariff increased without warning
BY INGRID BROWN Sunday Observer senior reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Motorists travelling on the Portmore leg of Highway 2000 yesterday expressed outrage that the increased toll rates were sneaked upon the public overnight, resulting in many of them having to beg fellow drivers money to pay the tariff.
Henry... requested that the new rates not be passed on to the motoring public for a few days
The toll increase came into effect as of midnight on Friday. However, motorists were caught off guard as there were no prior announcements, and an advertisement with the new rates, though published in yesterday's newspapers, gave no indication of the implementation date.
Yesterday, there were no signs posted at the Portmore toll plaza alerting motorists that they will now have to pay new rates. Instead, the electronic price board at the attendants' booths were simply changed to reflect the new prices.
The new rates for class one and two vehicles (cars and vans respectively) travelling through the Vineyard Toll Plaza in St Catherine are $270 and $370, up from $230 and $310 respectively.
Drivers of trucks, which are class three vehicles, have to dig a bit deeper in their pockets as they will now have to pay $700, up from $580.
For motorists travelling using the Portmore Toll Plaza, class one vehicles have been tagged with a $20 increase, up from $100, while class two vehicles now pay $170, up from $140 and a $60 increase has been imposed on class three vehicles, moving up from $280 to $340.
The new toll rates for the Spanish Town leg of the highway have seen an increase of $10, moving from $70 to $80 for class one vehicles, while class two vehicles have been increased from $90 to $110.
The scene at the Portmore Toll Plaza yesterday as motorists were caught off guard by new toll rates implemented overnight without informing the public. (Inset) The electronic board with the new toll for class one vehicles. (Photos: Karl McLarty)
Operators of class three vehicles are not so fortunate, however, as that rate has been increased by $90, moving from $120 to $210.
But many motorists said they were not having it, with some vowing to use the alternative routes since they could no longer afford the increased rates.
Several motorists informed the Sunday Observer that they were caught off guard having not been informed beforehand of the new toll rates, resulting in many persons parking their vehicles while they went from car to car begging for additional funds.
One motorist from Westchester in Portmore, who gave her name only as Annette, expressed anger and disappointment at the way the new increase was implemented.
"I just picked up the $100 to pay the toll because I was going to get my son and when I got here the lady told me it is now $120," she recounted.
"No amount of pleading and begging would help when I told her I didn't have any more money with me and so I had to reverse and park out of the way and walk until ah find someone to give me $20," she fumed.
Annette, who has been living in Portmore since 1980, said she will no longer be able to travel the toll road and is already looking at moving out of that community.
"This will certainly affect how often I use the toll because right now it will be cheaper to take the bus into Kingston," she said.
A taxi operator who gave his name as 'Theo Blacks' told the Sunday Observer that he had to wait in long lines at the booth early yesterday morning as motorists searched to find the additional amounts to pay the toll.
"Some people come toll booth with them dead $100 and so we in the line one long time ah wait and a wonder what keeping up the line before the security come tell we fi reverse so they can let out back the man," he said.
He said he had to wait until one motorist found someone to give him the additional funds as many were themselves without extra money.
One toll booth operator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Sunday Observer that he had to pay the $20 increase for one motorist who just did not have the money.
"I have only dealt with one such case today," he said.
However, one of his colleagues told the Sunday Observer that she has been receiving several complaints from angry motorists all day who were only just finding out about the increase.
Minibus operators in Portmore have also expressed outrage, not only at the sudden implementation of the new rates but at what they described as the drastic increase.
A bus driver who plies the Gregory Park to Spanish Town route and who goes by the name 'Saddam', said they (bus drivers) will have to pay $60 more each way for the 10 to 13 trips they make each day to and from the municipality.
He said it is unfair that they are also having to pay the same cost as the state-owned Jamaica Urban Transit Company buses which can carry as much as three times the number of passengers.
"This is going to further lower our returns and them nah raise bus fares," he said.
Jermaine Ricketts of West Cumberland also expressed disappointment at how the increased rates were handled.
Unlike Annette, he was, however, informed ahead of time by a relative who was caught off guard by the new rates.
"I think the effective date was too abrupt," he said, pointing out that in addition to no formal announcements being made on the effective date, there were no signs posted advising motorists that there has been an increase.
The Sunday Observer was informed that similar anger was expressed at the Vineyards Toll Plaza which had some of the highest rates.
"I budget out the toll money to come and go from Mandeville to Kingston and right now me just going to have to take the long road back because me can't afford the $370 weh them going to charge me," said Alvin Meikle, who spoke to the Sunday Observer via phone.
He explained that had he known of the increased rates ahead of time he would have been able to plan accordingly.
Yesterday, the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) also took the Government to task for the abrupt increase in toll rates.
Member of parliament for South East St Catherine, Colin ************an, in a news release said "This is yet again another campaign promise made by the JLP that has been broken."
He said the PNP is reminding the country that minister of transport and works, Mike Henry, made a commitment to reduce the toll fare to $30 on the Portmore leg of Highway 2000 and to renegotiate the terms and conditions of the contract with the toll operators.
"Not only have they broken their promise, but since coming to office toll fares have been increased on two occasions," ************an said.
The release stated further that the toll increase comes on the heels of a proposed increase in bus fares which will further burden the overtaxed poor and middle-income earners in the country. The increase, it stated, also comes just before the start of the new school year, when parents have to pay significant amounts for school fees and books.
Last night, Henry, through a spokesman, said although the increase was gazetted to come into effect as of Friday, he had requested of the toll operators, through the Toll Authority, that the new rates not be passed on to the motoring public for a few days.
This, he said, would have given enough time for the public to adjust to the new rates. Under this arrangement, Henry said the toll operators would not have lost out on any earnings as the Government would have picked up the shortfall.
The toll operator, TransJamaican Highway Limited, which was last given an increase in July of 2008, became eligible for another application in July this year.
Toll Anger
Motorists forced to beg as tariff increased without warning
BY INGRID BROWN Sunday Observer senior reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Motorists travelling on the Portmore leg of Highway 2000 yesterday expressed outrage that the increased toll rates were sneaked upon the public overnight, resulting in many of them having to beg fellow drivers money to pay the tariff.
Henry... requested that the new rates not be passed on to the motoring public for a few days
The toll increase came into effect as of midnight on Friday. However, motorists were caught off guard as there were no prior announcements, and an advertisement with the new rates, though published in yesterday's newspapers, gave no indication of the implementation date.
Yesterday, there were no signs posted at the Portmore toll plaza alerting motorists that they will now have to pay new rates. Instead, the electronic price board at the attendants' booths were simply changed to reflect the new prices.
The new rates for class one and two vehicles (cars and vans respectively) travelling through the Vineyard Toll Plaza in St Catherine are $270 and $370, up from $230 and $310 respectively.
Drivers of trucks, which are class three vehicles, have to dig a bit deeper in their pockets as they will now have to pay $700, up from $580.
For motorists travelling using the Portmore Toll Plaza, class one vehicles have been tagged with a $20 increase, up from $100, while class two vehicles now pay $170, up from $140 and a $60 increase has been imposed on class three vehicles, moving up from $280 to $340.
The new toll rates for the Spanish Town leg of the highway have seen an increase of $10, moving from $70 to $80 for class one vehicles, while class two vehicles have been increased from $90 to $110.
The scene at the Portmore Toll Plaza yesterday as motorists were caught off guard by new toll rates implemented overnight without informing the public. (Inset) The electronic board with the new toll for class one vehicles. (Photos: Karl McLarty)
Operators of class three vehicles are not so fortunate, however, as that rate has been increased by $90, moving from $120 to $210.
But many motorists said they were not having it, with some vowing to use the alternative routes since they could no longer afford the increased rates.
Several motorists informed the Sunday Observer that they were caught off guard having not been informed beforehand of the new toll rates, resulting in many persons parking their vehicles while they went from car to car begging for additional funds.
One motorist from Westchester in Portmore, who gave her name only as Annette, expressed anger and disappointment at the way the new increase was implemented.
"I just picked up the $100 to pay the toll because I was going to get my son and when I got here the lady told me it is now $120," she recounted.
"No amount of pleading and begging would help when I told her I didn't have any more money with me and so I had to reverse and park out of the way and walk until ah find someone to give me $20," she fumed.
Annette, who has been living in Portmore since 1980, said she will no longer be able to travel the toll road and is already looking at moving out of that community.
"This will certainly affect how often I use the toll because right now it will be cheaper to take the bus into Kingston," she said.
A taxi operator who gave his name as 'Theo Blacks' told the Sunday Observer that he had to wait in long lines at the booth early yesterday morning as motorists searched to find the additional amounts to pay the toll.
"Some people come toll booth with them dead $100 and so we in the line one long time ah wait and a wonder what keeping up the line before the security come tell we fi reverse so they can let out back the man," he said.
He said he had to wait until one motorist found someone to give him the additional funds as many were themselves without extra money.
One toll booth operator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Sunday Observer that he had to pay the $20 increase for one motorist who just did not have the money.
"I have only dealt with one such case today," he said.
However, one of his colleagues told the Sunday Observer that she has been receiving several complaints from angry motorists all day who were only just finding out about the increase.
Minibus operators in Portmore have also expressed outrage, not only at the sudden implementation of the new rates but at what they described as the drastic increase.
A bus driver who plies the Gregory Park to Spanish Town route and who goes by the name 'Saddam', said they (bus drivers) will have to pay $60 more each way for the 10 to 13 trips they make each day to and from the municipality.
He said it is unfair that they are also having to pay the same cost as the state-owned Jamaica Urban Transit Company buses which can carry as much as three times the number of passengers.
"This is going to further lower our returns and them nah raise bus fares," he said.
Jermaine Ricketts of West Cumberland also expressed disappointment at how the increased rates were handled.
Unlike Annette, he was, however, informed ahead of time by a relative who was caught off guard by the new rates.
"I think the effective date was too abrupt," he said, pointing out that in addition to no formal announcements being made on the effective date, there were no signs posted advising motorists that there has been an increase.
The Sunday Observer was informed that similar anger was expressed at the Vineyards Toll Plaza which had some of the highest rates.
"I budget out the toll money to come and go from Mandeville to Kingston and right now me just going to have to take the long road back because me can't afford the $370 weh them going to charge me," said Alvin Meikle, who spoke to the Sunday Observer via phone.
He explained that had he known of the increased rates ahead of time he would have been able to plan accordingly.
Yesterday, the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) also took the Government to task for the abrupt increase in toll rates.
Member of parliament for South East St Catherine, Colin ************an, in a news release said "This is yet again another campaign promise made by the JLP that has been broken."
He said the PNP is reminding the country that minister of transport and works, Mike Henry, made a commitment to reduce the toll fare to $30 on the Portmore leg of Highway 2000 and to renegotiate the terms and conditions of the contract with the toll operators.
"Not only have they broken their promise, but since coming to office toll fares have been increased on two occasions," ************an said.
The release stated further that the toll increase comes on the heels of a proposed increase in bus fares which will further burden the overtaxed poor and middle-income earners in the country. The increase, it stated, also comes just before the start of the new school year, when parents have to pay significant amounts for school fees and books.
Last night, Henry, through a spokesman, said although the increase was gazetted to come into effect as of Friday, he had requested of the toll operators, through the Toll Authority, that the new rates not be passed on to the motoring public for a few days.
This, he said, would have given enough time for the public to adjust to the new rates. Under this arrangement, Henry said the toll operators would not have lost out on any earnings as the Government would have picked up the shortfall.
The toll operator, TransJamaican Highway Limited, which was last given an increase in July of 2008, became eligible for another application in July this year.
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