PNP concerned about impact of rail service on taxi operators

[Lazie]

The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) has welcomed the restart of the passenger rail service in Jamaica.
Robert Pickersgill, Spokesman on Transport, who was at the commemorative service for the re-launch of Jamaica’s passenger rail service in Linstead, St. Catherine Saturday afternoon, said the move is welcomed, however, he raised concerns about the impact the rail service might have on taxi operators.
"It is appreciated but I have heard that there will be one fare which would give (passengers) a transfer on to a Jamaica Urban Transit Company bus. Now that sounds smooth but if it happens, I am a little concerned about how the taxi operators will take it because already they have been complaining .
"And if you add the closure of the Bog Walk Gorge to that, then the taxi operators are immediately at a disadvantage because they will have to go the longer routes," Pickersgill said.
He urged a seamless infusion of the rail service into the transport sector.

[Skeng DX]

bwoy mi tell u bout dem dutty PNP yah

dem nuh like see progress

brown man time it sweet DONT IT

why them care for taxi operators, them fi look out fi the greater good bwoy I tell u bout dem comreds

big up mike henry for coming up with a feasible plan for the train service in jamaica

BIG UP

[Mosiah]

I could find 10 more sensible things that would concern me about this rail system. Taxi operators would not be among them.

As for feasible plan, I will wait and see before commenting.

[MdmeX]

Dem concerned about taxi operators Where is the emoticon for KISS TEETH!

[Gamma]

MdmeX.... they are the opposition. their job is to oppose! what does you?

[Skeng DX]

unuh read this

THIS IS FROM 2002


JAMAICA is yet to report tangible progress on the restart of its rail service. Nevertheless, there is the assumption that the country will get the trains rolling again. The crafters of the Highway 2000 project have agreed to compensate the concessionaire TransJamaican Highway, once it can prove loss of toll revenue as a result of the resumption of an effective train service.

But, according to Kingsley Thomas, the chances of a payout are slim to non-existent, pinning his conclusions on assumptions about commuter behaviour and Jamaica's ability to afford a modern rail service.

Mr. Thomas, who heads the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), the state agency that gave life to the highway plans, told the Financial Gleaner that TransJamaican can claim compensation only if the rail infrastructure is developed into a truly high-speed train service.

"If that happens, then there will be compensation, but TransJamaican must prove loss of business," said the DBJ head, who also chairs its spin-off company, the National Road Operating and Constructing Company, set up to oversee the 270-kilometre highway development.

"The current improvement (to the rails) is no problem," he said.

Stephen Wedderburn, director of projects and infrastructure at the National Investment Bank of Jamaica, confirmed Wednesday that the plan for the railway is to bring it back to the level it was 10 years ago, when all but the bauxite trains stopped running.

"Kingsley is right, the existing track infrastructure will remain," said Wedderburn.

NIBJ is negotiating with Railtech Jamaica, an Indian/Canadian group, to resume rail transportation of passenger and freight, but in July the parties were still trying to iron out a number of issues, including long-term rehabilitation of the permanent railway infrastructure, insurance, transfer of shares, the concession fee and lease and access fees.

TransJamaican's managing director, Pascal Radde, said his company will be factoring the rail service's likely impact into their pricing structures.

NOT IN OUR LIFETIME

Mr. Thomas estimates that it would take US$2.5 billion of financing to build a truly state-of-the-art railway.

"I don't see it happening in our lifetime," he said. The figure he quoted is triple the total US$850 million estimated to build the toll highway, which is meant to link major urban centres across the island to the capital Kingston, cutting travel time between them.

The NROCC chairman was almost dismissive of the rail service offering any true competition to the toll highway, based on the 'inconvenience' factor for the larger portion of the labour force which works up town.

"The rail goes downtown, and that would mean tri-modal movement," he told the Financial Gleaner. "People would be too inconvenienced."

Labour Force statistics to April 2001, the latest available from STATIN, shows 42,600 employed in Kingston, significantly is less than the 229,800 that work in St. Andrew - a 1:5 ratio.

Based on the dispersal, Mr. Thomas predicts that "buses will dominate" as the preferred mode of transportation.

TransJamaican has a 35-year concession to operate the highway under a toll regime. The system is a first for Jamaica so the concessionaire has no antecedents to judge whether motorists shall be willing to pay the road fee, or opt for the alternate routes that must be provided.

A DBJ-commissioned study done in June says 72 per cent are in favour of the toll, but those results were generated from the responses of only those persons who knew of the proposed tolling system, and were therefore skewed.

Another survey in October by the Stone team, also done for DBJ, showed that people liked the highway for its anticipated improvement to the road network and other factors but they also lumped the toll among the things they disliked about the project.

TransJamaican can charge motorists no more than US$0.07 per kilometre to use the highway, and has until next year to determine what the exact charge will be. Tolling begins in June 2003 when dualisation of the 14-km Old Harbour Bypass is scheduled for completion.

[Muadib]

A blast form the past... the 'bag a talk' days..

Dem days we could not borrow from Multi-laterals.. HAD to pay high interest on debt and could not centralize Govt procurement using technology.. could not reduce crime..etc, etc...

Is nuff change since den !

These are the days of 'Yes We Can'

Brown Man Time..

[Lazie]

LOL .... duh yuh ting Skeng D.

[Skeng DX]

LOL .... duh yuh ting Skeng D.

BROWN MAN TIME MI SEH

DEM FI USE D US$2.5 billion n build railway n stop waste money ie f likkle US$850 million build the toll highway

dem smart yuh si

good managers knows how fi save money n dat above shows how great the JLP are at it cuz this train thing is so feasable dont it

The NROCC chairman was almost dismissive of the rail service offering any true competition to the toll highway, based on the 'inconvenience' factor for the larger portion of the labour force which works up town.

"The rail goes downtown, and that would mean tri-modal movement," he told the Financial Gleaner. "People would be too inconvenienced."

bwoy d dutty PNP dem lie yuh see man

Labour Force statistics to April 2001, the latest available from STATIN, shows 42,600 employed in Kingston, significantly is less than the 229,800 that work in St. Andrew - a 1:5 ratio.

Based on the dispersal, Mr. Thomas predicts that "buses will dominate" as the preferred mode of transportation.

OMG
WHY dem a try sabotage d brown man thing WHY?

dem need fi go to d ward 21 dem mus be crazy wid dem bagga chat according to Muadib

to see how this is so FEASIBLE n better for the country

why the comreds dem fail fi see

brown man time adi best

[Muadib]

Look up Multi-Modal and stap chat faught..

'Yes We Can'...

[MdmeX]

I'd rather take the train, than the TAXI, built to hold FIVE, sardine-packed with a PERFECT TEN

[Skeng DX]

mi a big up d brown man pawty

suh a faught mi chat wen dem a get big up

oh I see brown man time is fawt den

[Muadib]

no yuh a chat faught in di mannah yuh big dem up...

yuh haffi upgrade yuhself innah dis yah forum.. some people guh good school in yah !

Yuh will get rough up if yuh nuh careful.. so nuh baddah come bowl nuh full toss...

[Lazie]

Gov’t spared bill for the resumption of passenger railway service

The Government has been spared an exorbitant bill for the resumption of passenger railway service.

So far the cost to revive the service has been estimated at a little over $30 million.
The money was used to rehabilitate premises belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC) and to upgrade the coaches.
However, Barry Bonitto, JRC Chairman, says this has been done at no cost to taxpayers.
“As you know the Jamaica Railway Corporation …nothing comes from public funds, it comes from our own funding so there is no burden on the taxpayers. So far we have spent close to $30 million to get things ready,” Mr. Bonitto said.
The phased resumption of passenger train service is scheduled to begin in another month.

[Mosiah]

that was before Chinese money! US $2.5 billion is chicken feed!