Commuters call for urgent upgrade to WBD Public Road

Large craters coupled with unlit carriageways have been the state of the West Bank Demerara (WBD) Public Road, causing residents and commuters to call for immediate intervention.
The public road, stretching from La Grange to Patentia, is one of the main access roads on the WBD. Currently, the road is broken with holes along the throughfare and as such, drivers are left to navigate through deep indentations, measuring some 10 inches, resulting in damages to their vehicles.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Saturday, a commuter, Moses Flair, relayed that the road situation has become unbearable. The narrow road presents an unsafe experience, and his car has suffered severe damage on numerous occasions.
“This is the main road and there are cuts, like the road is broken up so it is bumpy, bumpy when you’re driving. Your car is shaking and rattling up. This thing really needs to be addressed because it is getting worse by the day. Imagine the road already narrow and you got to go over into the incoming lane to avoid.”
He complained, “We’re not taking about one part of the road. The entire thing. The entire thing is like this. Only maybe a section in La Retraite is a little better but overall, something needs to be done.”
Meanwhile, smaller speed bumps placed on the main road is another concern for many.
Flair cried out, “Imagine this is the main road and you have speed bumps every minute. And they’re inconsistent because only half of the road has them. Something needs to be done. People cannot be operating like this.”
The aggrieved commuter has called for intervention from the Ministry of Public Works to provide some relief.
“If it can’t be done now, at least mend the holes so that the ride is smooth for now. This is really a sad situation for residents of West Bank, especially those coming from till at Patentia and Wales. Officials need to come and take a drive along this road. Only then they will understand the plight of people here,” he relayed.
Another concern for many has been the lack of streetlights along sections of the road. For this, calls have been made for adequate lighting to be installed.
A taxi driver, Sohan Etwar, shared, “Since long now they said they would put streetlight and so for us but nothing happen. Since the last Government, we waiting and everybody just forget about it. This is a very dangerous thing because you can’t really see to drive in the night. So that’s why after the place get dark, I don’t go out to work. Cause it not safe at all.”