Chaos on Market Street in Santa Cruz

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation and the police need to address the chaos which reigns on Market Street in Santa Cruz on Fridays and Saturdays.

Since Christmas, most vendors have not gone back into the market. Makeshift shops were dismantled as the market is to be refurbished. When work will start is anybody’s guess.

The vendors line both sides of the street, while some of their stalls are imposing and take up a part of the roadway. Added to that, there is two-way vehicular traffic. Handcarts and bicycles add to the confusion.

I see two possible solutions.

The first is to send all the vendors back into the market until work begins. There is more than adequate space in the market.

The second solution calls for one-way traffic only, not just on market days. In fact, it would have been ideal if there were no vehicular traffic at all, but Transport Centre 2 is located on Market Street and taxis enter from and exit onto this street.

I propose that Market Street be one-way in a southerly direction. No vehicle should enter from Main Street as happens over the festive season. However, the police will be needed to supervise the process. Barriers to block off one lane should be in place permanently. Motorists would have access only from the Santa Cruz bypass.

I trust that this matter will be addressed with alacrity.

NORMAN W. M. THOMPSON