Sligoville taxi operators halt Spanish Town runs over cratered road surface

Taxi operators who ply the Spanish Town–Sligoville corridor in St. Catherine withdrew service on Monday morning, saying the carriageway has deteriorated so badly that it now poses a direct risk to drivers and passengers.

Operators told TVJ News that steering and suspension components wear out quickly on the uneven surface, and that keeping tyres and front-end parts in order can cost tens of thousands of dollars each month. They described the strip as treacherous when larger vehicles use the same narrow space. One driver lay flat in a pothole to illustrate how deep the failures run, arguing that the asphalt has failed across long stretches.

The stoppage left commuters stranded. A resident said she was due at work but could not travel after crews pulled off the route. Others, including parents with small children and older people, said they were stuck without their usual lift.

The timing collided with orientation for one hundred and fifteen students enrolled with the HEART/NSTA Trust at Cedar Valley and James Mountain, organisers said, complicating movement for families heading to the sessions.

Member of Parliament Natalie Nita Garvey, who met the protesting operators, said she spoke with Works and Housing Minister Robert Morgan and was told remedial work should start within a fortnight to ease pressure on the route. TVJ News said Morgan confirmed that intervention will fall under the Government’s road rehabilitation programme, which has about one point four billion dollars earmarked for high-volume links that carry public transport and commercial traffic.

Drivers stressed that the link doubles as an alternative when the Bog Walk Gorge is closed and for motorists who want to avoid the tolled highway, which makes dependable surfacing especially important to them.