The Local Organising Committee (LOC) will have a number of 30-seat buses on call to provide logistics support for persons using the Park-and-Ride facility to get to the National Stadium at Providence for the 2007 Cricket World Cup Super Eight games in Guyana.
Though the facility caters for persons desirous of parking their vehicles at the National Cultural Centre tarmac and the Diamond Community Centre Ground, the buses would also be available to transport other cricket goers.
Fawwaz Baksh the LOC’s Logistics and Transportation Manager told Stabroek News at LOC headquarters Middle Street on Monday that because transportation from the Park-and-Ride facility is open to members of the public with no vehicles, the fee for such persons may be different and is yet to be worked out. For instance, he pointed out persons who park their vehicles would be paying for parking as well as a return fare on the buses. Those without vehicles would simply be paying for a round trip to the stadium.
LOC Chief Executive Officer Karan Singh had said last week that tickets will be on sale at the Middle Street office and other places to be announced at $1,000 each. Calls to the LOC office revealed tickets are available there at that price. The LOC was also slated to issue permits to owners of motor vehicles living in the seven communities near to the stadium Bagotstown, Republic Park, Nandy Park, Providence, Continental Park, Peter’s Hall and Greenfield Park.
Baksh explained that the LOC would be renting 30-seat buses and would have enough available according to the demand.
He said that if on match days the numbers that turn up at the facilities are more than the buses on site can accommodate others, which would be on call, would be summoned.
The Park-and-Ride facilities are scheduled to be open from 6.30 am to 10 pm. Riders can leave early, which means that a user of the service can board a bus to leave the stadium that would leave after a stipulated time even if the bus is not full.
Members of the public can also use public transport such as taxis and minibuses that would be allowed to take them to the Park-and-Walk facility at the Providence stadium. Other logistics arrangements include use of the roadway outside the stadium. Baksh said vehicles heading to the cricket venue are required to use the eastern carriageway and those vehicles must prominently display the stickers, which would give them access; the western carriageway would cater for public transport. The western carriageway would be used as a two-way route.
Further from the Demerara Harbour Bridge to Greenfield Park would be declared a no-parking zone on match days, while from the Houston Bridge to Greenfield Park would be a no-stopping zone. Vehicles dropping off spectators will use a facility specifically for that purpose at the Park-and-Walk location. In extended efforts to maintain order on the East Bank trucks, containers, trailers or other such vehicles are prohibited from using the East Bank public road between 6 am – 11 am and 3 pm – 8 pm on match days.
