AN apparent oversight in providing wheeled transportation for disabled persons travelling between the drop-off zones and Sabina Park yesterday, marred an otherwise smooth journey for the park and ride system set up by the Jamaica Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the ICC Cricket World Cup opening game between the West Indies and Pakistan at Sabina Park.

The LOC has implemented a park and ride and park and walk traffic and transportation plan to operate on match days for the six first-round games and the April 24 semi-final to be played in Jamaica during the World Cup tournament.

The National Stadium, Urban Development Corporation (UDC) Car Park in downtown Kingston, Elletson Road Police Station, National Heroes’ Park, and Up Park Camp (Duppy Gate) are the designated areas provided for cricket fans to park their vehicles and either walk or ride on shuttle buses provided to Sabina Park.

The Observer visited several locations where operations were running smoothly. However, at the National Stadium, where 1,600 parking spaces were provided, one overseas spectator, whose disability leaves her unable to walk long distances or without the aid of a walking stick, found herself stranded after taking one of the shuttles to the drop-off zone at Jessie Ripoll Primary School, only to discover that no other transport was provided for her to get between the school and the ticket office at Sabina Park. She was forced to return to the Stadium to try to make other arrangements.

Elizabeth Luke, who worked as a receptionist with the British High Commission in Kingston for 20 years until her retirement two years ago when she returned to the United Kingdom, was obviously distressed when she spoke with the Observer close to 9:00 am, 30 minutes from the start of the match.

“I could stand here and cry,” Luke said. “My taxi dropped me at 8:00 and after I took the shuttle to the drop-off, I realised there was no way I would walk to Sabina Park from there, so I had to return here.

“There is a bus for wheelchair and disabled people, but because nobody has asked for it, it is parked,” she added. “We’ve paid US$100 to watch one-day cricket and now we’ve got this problem.”

LOC executive director Robert Bryan told the Observer that that aspect of the system had failed.

“That particular component of it, I don’t think worked very well today,” he admitted. “There should have been a bus at the top of the drop-off zone that would take them (disabled persons) right to the gate and I know for a fact that I didn’t see that operate this morning, so we have to try and ensure that that works from here on.”