Representatives of the coalition of umbrella community organisations in Portmore, St. Catherine are to serve an eight-point petition on Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, on Thursday.

The petition calls on the Prime Minister to improve conditions relating to the operation of the Portmore toll road. Among the points included in the petition, signed by thousands of residents, is a 24-month freeze on current toll rates on that segment of Highway 2000.

Motorists travelling on the almost four-kilometre toll highway are charged between $60 and $200, depending on the size of the vehicle. They also have the option of receiving discounts with increased use. However, the petition is focussed on freezing the toll costs for cars and SUVs, which make up the bulk of the vehicles that use the roadway.

The latest action by the Portmore lobby groups comes against the background of the Government's failure to yield to the residents' protest against constructing a toll road at the entrance to the municipality. The residents are contending that it is unfair to require of them to pay a toll to use a congested roadway that is the main entry and exit to Portmore. More than 200,000 people reside there.

However, the Government has argued the highway would solve the congestion problem affecting the community. But that is yet to happen as motorists still have to grapple with long traffic jams during peak hours.