Wales, Patentia residents decry lack of adequate public transport

…as Route 31 buses re-route to Belle West

As housing development opens along the West Bank of Demerara, residents of Wales and Patentia on the lower end have lamented on the lack of adequate public transportation for the route.
During an interview with this publication on Saturday, it was communicated that due to larger housing developments primarily at Belle West and West Minster, a majority of the Route 31 buses have begun plying this route instead. Now, those who depend on the public transportation system have been experiencing a squeeze.
Nazeem Hamid explained that it has been especially difficult for him to return home in the evenings due to this new trend. Some days, he waits for almost an hour while the buses line up to transport residents of Belle West.
“Now, we wait on a couple bus to go all the way to Wales. But I standing here for almost 30 minutes and none come yet. So, sometimes in the afternoon, you see so much [buses] out here but all of them going to Belle West cause that’s where everybody going,” he lamented while standing at the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling, adding that it is also prevalent at the Stabroek Market area.
Hamid added, “Even at Stabroek, when I pass and ask the Patentia bus where they going, they say only people from Belle West. All of them. How we must reach home?”
Meanwhile, another Patentia resident commented that she would board a minibus until the route ends and then take another to reach her destination. However, this costs more than double the usual fare.
“If they (the buses) bring me by Belle West, they want $300. And I’m not going in the scheme. That’s on the main road…Then from there, I got to take another car or bus to reach home, which is another $100 or more. So instead of paying $200, I am paying double. This thing really need to look into cause soon we might not get [transportation] that side. Sometimes, I don’t have a choice but do this cause it’s not easy to wait out here so long.”
Housing development has skyrocketed in some areas in recent time, and due to the creation of new areas, there has been a demand for more public transportation. At Belle West, thousands of persons have already settled in the housing area. (G12)