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Railway can help solve Bog Walk Gorge problems
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
var addthis_pub="jamaicaobserver";
Bog Walk Gorge after the recent heavy rains.
Dear Editor,
Those enduring the delays through Bog Walk Gorge and the joy of the diversionary route through Sligoville should reflect that it doesn't have to be like that. There is a fully operational railway between Bog Walk and Spanish Town, used for bauxite, and it is sad, perhaps scandalous, that bauxite now travels from Ewarton to Port Esquivel, through the gorge, more quickly than students at Bog Walk High School can attend lessons from their homes in Spanish Town.
A few weeks ago before Mother Nature's intervention, when it was clear that the Bog Walk Gorge was presenting special difficulties, I offered to sponsor an emergency passenger train service between Spanish Town and Linstead to ease congestion. What is left of JRC is quite capable of providing such a service, if it is funded. The railway was able to offer a traffic solution and yet it was ignored.
I do believe the Ministry of Transport and Works knows very well that the gorge is operationally challenging.
Neil Howard
Project Director, New Jamaica Railway Trust
London, England
neilhoward@blueyonder.co.uk
Comments
var com_count = 0;
Jay Brown
10/20/2010
@ Ray,
I read the entire document when it was posted on TransJamaica website. It has subsequently been removed.
com_count++;Ray Stennett
10/20/2010
@Jay Brown I am hoping that your statement about Trans Jamaica isn't true! Those who signed any such documents on behalf of the people of Jamaica should be condemned to a mental institution. Still, if the document says "develop" then we can argue that we are only refurbishing a system that was already in place. Rail is the cheapest way to move people and goods how can we be so blind? I still dream that our rail system can be restored. It carries enduring memories of my childhood into adulthood.
com_count++;Jay Brown
10/20/2010
We cannot resurrect the railway service air. The TransJamaica Act 2000 which was signed by the then minister of transport effectively said " If you try to develop any other mode of transportation that will directly compete with the HW 2000 project, will result in the GOJ being liable to pay TransJamaica any lose in projected revenue as a result of this development".
Its for the very same reason why Mandela Highway will be the way it is and severely impact travel in JAMAICA.
ONLY IN JAMAICA
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
var addthis_pub="jamaicaobserver";
Bog Walk Gorge after the recent heavy rains.
Dear Editor,
Those enduring the delays through Bog Walk Gorge and the joy of the diversionary route through Sligoville should reflect that it doesn't have to be like that. There is a fully operational railway between Bog Walk and Spanish Town, used for bauxite, and it is sad, perhaps scandalous, that bauxite now travels from Ewarton to Port Esquivel, through the gorge, more quickly than students at Bog Walk High School can attend lessons from their homes in Spanish Town.
A few weeks ago before Mother Nature's intervention, when it was clear that the Bog Walk Gorge was presenting special difficulties, I offered to sponsor an emergency passenger train service between Spanish Town and Linstead to ease congestion. What is left of JRC is quite capable of providing such a service, if it is funded. The railway was able to offer a traffic solution and yet it was ignored.
I do believe the Ministry of Transport and Works knows very well that the gorge is operationally challenging.
Neil Howard
Project Director, New Jamaica Railway Trust
London, England
neilhoward@blueyonder.co.uk
Comments
var com_count = 0;
Jay Brown
10/20/2010
@ Ray,
I read the entire document when it was posted on TransJamaica website. It has subsequently been removed.
com_count++;Ray Stennett
10/20/2010
@Jay Brown I am hoping that your statement about Trans Jamaica isn't true! Those who signed any such documents on behalf of the people of Jamaica should be condemned to a mental institution. Still, if the document says "develop" then we can argue that we are only refurbishing a system that was already in place. Rail is the cheapest way to move people and goods how can we be so blind? I still dream that our rail system can be restored. It carries enduring memories of my childhood into adulthood.
com_count++;Jay Brown
10/20/2010
We cannot resurrect the railway service air. The TransJamaica Act 2000 which was signed by the then minister of transport effectively said " If you try to develop any other mode of transportation that will directly compete with the HW 2000 project, will result in the GOJ being liable to pay TransJamaica any lose in projected revenue as a result of this development".
Its for the very same reason why Mandela Highway will be the way it is and severely impact travel in JAMAICA.
ONLY IN JAMAICA