Police discuss traffic issues with chamber

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday June 26th, 2013

 Members of the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry (POMCCI) met with Port Moresby police last Friday to discuss parking and other traffic issues in the central business district (CBD).

“We had 34 attendees representing most of the major players in the city centre, including staff from NCDC,” POMCCI chief executive David Conn said.

“Debate was lively and at times depressing, as some could not see a way forward. 

“However, many did, and were willing to attempt some short-term measures to alleviate current issues. 

“NCD clearly has some long-term visions for the city centre and we are receiving information that the prime minister’s office is also keen to see the problem addressed.”

Conn said in the short term, the following, among others, could be done to alleviate the problem:

  • NCDC would soon invoke new parking legislation in the city; 
  • Building managers/owners in the CBD could approach NCDC with a view to leasing carpark spaces outside their properties; 
  • POMCCI would work with NCDC to survey the total number of parking spots in the CBD; 
  • POMCCI would liaise with NCDC to allocate a fair proportion of parking spots in central locations where they did not inhibit traffic flow, allocated exclusively for taxis; 
  • POMCCI would liaise with NCDC to remove the taxi parking from the bottom of Douglas Street; 
  • The taxi spots at the bottom of Douglas Street would be relocated to designated marked spots outside the Port Moresby police station; 
  • POMCCI would liaise with NCDC to reopen another exit lane from Douglas Street on to the roundabout, making two lanes of traffic exiting , one towards the bus stop and the other to go round the roundabout; 
  • NCDC, through its reserve police unit, was looking at providing a clearly-marked enforcement vehicle for the CBD to be manned by its police unit.

“We may ask for some assistance to ‘body-wrap’ this vehicle so it stands out and the temptation to wander off to other activities is curbed,” Conn said.