Six per cent drop in Harbour Bridge traffic during paid parking

– General Manager

General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, Rawlston Adams reported yesterday that there was a drop of about 6% in traffic on the bridge during the period parking meters were implemented, compared to similar periods in years past.

Adams related this information yesterday during a consultation held at the Pegasus Hotel where presentations were done on the feasibility study and design for the New Demerara River Bridge.

“When the parking meters were introduced there were people protesting, there were no people parking in Georgetown so everybody wants to know where those people went, where they’ve gone, and we are saying we saw a drop in our traffic by as much as 6%,” Adams said in a comment after the session.

The General Manager related that although the figures have not yet been analyzed, “instinct” is suggesting that the shift in numbers is linked to the implementation of the parking meters.

“In February for the very, very first time in eight years, outside of last May elections, we saw traffic drop 6.7% and in [late] February saw a minor increase of 0.8% and that’s when we got a pullback from the parking folk.”

Adams had raised a question of whether it is expected that the trend of reduced traffic experienced during that period should be anticipated once parking meters are implemented again.