HAVING pulled its service yesterday evening due to intense challenges associated with the ongoing conflicts in the Corporate Area and sections of St Catherine, the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) has resumed limited service this morning.

Service is still withdrawn from downtown Kingston remains. Routes running easterly from downtown to destinations like Port Royal, Bull Bay and Harbour View are now being restricted to Elletson Road as the nearest point to the downtown area.

The 83 route which normally runs from the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre to downtown remains in operation, but only between the centre and Mountain View Avenue, where possible.

All the buses out of the Spanish Town depot, including units to service a number of St Andrew routes, were out late, as the Central Village road was blocked overnight and there were early morning shootings in the area. The blockages have since been cleared by the police and the units started rolling out of the depot at 6:00 am.   

The Spanish Town routes normally running to downtown Kinston are now being channelled via Three Miles into the HWTTC.

No service remains between Portmore and downtown Kingston, with all the Portmore units travelling via Three Miles into Half-Way-Tree. The 17 Express route, which normally runs from Portmore to Heroes Circle via Marcus Garvey Drive and Parade in downtown Kingston, is now being operated via Three Miles, Half-Way-Tree into Heroes Circle, with the reverse being applicable.

The 12a route between Naggo Head and Half-Way-Tree was out of operation early in the morning due to overnight killings in the Newlands road area, which hae presented major logistical challenges in navigating through the area. The route has since been resumed, with diversions through Cumberland and Southboro.

Also, Route 6 from Greater Portmore to Spanish Town is out of operation because of the closure of schools in the applicable areas. The route mainly serviced the school communities there.

The JUTC’s senior management team, headed by the Managing Director and the Executive Vice President for Operations, remains proactive in assessing the situation and challenges on an ongoing basis, in an effort to serve the commuting public as best as possible within the present operational limitations.