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Smooth move......as management
plan moves Barbadians out of the City
Web Posted - Thu Jul 03 2008
BARBADIANS moved in droves out of the City yesterday as they responded to the Bridgetown Emergency Traffic Management Plan, which kicked into high gear yesterday afternoon.
Catching word of the simulation, some Barbadians moved out of the City before the scheduled 3 p.m. start of the exercise, while others avoided the area completely. It is estimated that some 54 000 vehicles are in Bridgetown on a daily basis.
There were three outbound routes for yesterdays exercise the Spring Garden Highway, Highway 7 and Highway 5.
However, there were reports in the initial stages that persons were sceptical about using the two outbound lanes, per exit route, out of the City and there were reports of motorists exiting businesses along Hastings Main Road, turning onto oncoming traffic, on what was designated a one-way road.
The Joint Operation Command Centre at Police headquarters was a hive of activity where a number of stakeholders including officials from the Department of Emergency Management, the Barbados Defence Force, the Barbados Fire Service, the Ministry of Transport and Works, the Transport Board and the Private Sector Association converged in the boardroom where they received periodic briefings from Incident Commander Assistant Superintendent Antonio Forte.
By his second briefing at 3:20 p.m., it was reported that the City was clear and traffic along the extremities of the City was light.
There was one report of an accident along one of the outbound routes, but no one was injured. In addition, there was a report of persons removing signage in Balmoral Gap, but police were quickly deployed to the area. There were also reports of congestion along Golf Club. The Bridgetown Emergency Traffic Management plan officially finished at 5:15 p.m.
Giving the rationale behind the simulation was Senior Superintendent in charge of Operations, Leonard Brome, who told the media, On occasions we would have observed chaotic vehicular traffic scenes in a number of cities across the world at the onset of various disasters. Such occurrences are likely to be due to the absence of a tested emergency plan which seeks to move a large proportion of vehicles out of congested urban areas in the event of foreseeable hazards.
We in Barbados... are a similar situation. We are into another hurricane season... without having given attention the need to ensure the safe and efficient movement of a significant amount of vehicular traffic out of our capital city in the event of a hurricane alert, or in situations where there is impending large-scale danger to persons within the Bridgetown Area.
He explained that the plan that has been developed is geared towards minimising traffic congestion, pending a slow onset hazard such as a hurricane, with aspects of the plan capable of being adapted to other types of foreseeable catastrophes.
Officials said that they were generally satisfied with the exercise, barring a few hiccups.
Acting Public Relations Officer Station Sergeant Anthony Depeiza said that it will be necessary to get feedback from the public and assured that after careful analysis of the reports that are received, the strengths and weaknesses of the plan will be divulged and addressed. The public was also advised that there will be other simulations, particularly when school children are back on the roads. (JH)
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