As traffic congestion worsens across Barbados, the island’s major political parties are competing to present solutions — but a University of the West Indies (UWI) expert warned that the problem demands a unified, data-driven national plan rather than fragmented pledges.
Over the weekend, the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), Democratic Labour Party (DLP), and Friends of Democracy (FOD) each outlined strategies they say would improve traffic flow if elected.
The BLP has pointed to measures such as flyovers, carpooling initiatives, park-and-ride facilities, and the use of technology to assist with traffic management. The FOD has floated the idea of introducing “sea taxis” during peak hours in areas such as Holetown and Speightstown, while the DLP said it would cut new roads in Six Roads to divert traffic away from congested corridors.
But Deputy Principal of the UWI at Cave Hill Professor Winston Moore, said Barbados has long needed to rethink its overall traffic management framework, stressing that solutions must be supported by data and integrated planning.
In an interview with Barbados TODAY, Professor Moore said the concepts being proposed align with broader ideas around “smart cities”, where digital systems, data collection, and coordinated planning are used to address urban challenges.
“I’ve written a bit on the whole concept of smart cities, and I think both parties’ ideas are linked to that notion,” Prof Moore said. “In the smart city framework, what you attempt to do is incorporate digital systems, data, and planning in order to improve the problem that you have at that point in time.”
He explained that for congestion, this would mean collecting real-time traffic data and implementing adaptive traffic signals that respond to changing traffic volumes.
“So adaptive traffic signals will mean that in some areas you’ll have the green light being longer and then in other areas based on the real-time traffic data that you’re collecting,” he said. “It also means more coordination in relation to junction management. Essentially, you’re trying to reduce the bottlenecks in the system in order to improve travel time and the reliability of the system.”
The UWI is already producing graduates in business analytics and data analytics who could assist the government with more evidence-based planning, said Prof Moore.
He also pointed to everyday travel patterns as a major contributor to congestion that must be taken into consideration when mapping out a modern traffic management plan.
“One of the reasons why you have congestion is because persons have to make multiple stops before they get to work,” he said. “They have to stop to drop the kids off at school, then they have to stop to drop the wife off at work, and then they have to make their way to work.”
Professor Moore argued that a more integrated planning system could significantly reduce these pressures, including ensuring that children attend schools closer to where they live and introducing a dedicated school bus system.
“A more integrated system of planning would see us trying to reduce the travel times for persons,” he said. “You might have a system of a school bus system — maybe it’s funded by private sector advertising — but that school bus system reduces the need for parents to have to drop their kids to school and make multiple stops before they get to work.”
He also suggested staggered work arrangements and expanded work-from-home options to spread peak-hour demand.
“Maybe some persons work from home on two days so maybe some people work from home on Mondays and Thursdays and then other persons work from home on Wednesdays and Fridays,” Prof Moore said. “That type of integrated planning also helps to reduce the issue that we face in relation to congestion.”
Another key area highlighted by Professor Moore was the development of transit hubs where commuters could park and then transfer to public transport.
“Transit hubs are very much aligned with the idea of a smart city,” he said. “The key issue that persons have is that they have these vehicles, but it’s hard to let go of your vehicle. You spent a lot of money on your vehicle, and it’s really comfortable.”
Drawing on examples from countries such as Canada, Professor Moore said reliable park-and-ride systems can encourage drivers to switch to public transport, provided adequate parking infrastructure is built.
“That notion of transit hubs is very much aligned with the notion of a smart city, and I think it is also very much possible in Barbados as well,” he said. “The only thing that it requires is that you would need to build out the parking infrastructure.”
Supporting that view, Roy Raphael, Head of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT), agreed that transport hubs could play a critical role in easing congestion.
“The Transit Authority can set up transport hubs, and these transport hubs basically will get people to or from the areas,” Raphael said, noting that many passengers rely heavily on cross-country transport. He added that the traditional volume of commuters travelling into Bridgetown has declined over the years.
Raphael also suggested that toll systems could be considered as part of a broader traffic management strategy.
“I also believe that government should look at the possibility of introducing tolls on certain roads, to allow quicker movement,” he said. “For example, some parts of the ABC Highway, the government can introduce a toll to allow you to enter along there. We could look at other tolls coming into certain routes into Bridgetown.”
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