Representatives of the Belgian consortium which the Government contracted to build a transport centre in Portmore, St Catherine, are in the island this week meeting with officials of the works ministry about the project.

Jamaica Urban Transit company (JUTC) Managing Director Collin Campbell told the Jamaica Observer that the feasibility study is now complete and that the planning stage for the hub is underway.

The transport centre is expected to facilitate better service planning for the State-owned bus company and optimise the service provided by the over 50 routes which it operates between Portmore to Half-Way-Tree or to downtown Kingston.

Asked if construction on the centre is likely to begin this calendar year, Campbell said, “When the budget is tabled, we will know some more.”

Almost a year ago, the previous Administration inked a conditional build and design agreement with the contractors, which is the same group of firms that built the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre in January 2008.

The euro 47 million (US$535 million) project is expected to improve the public transportation system in the Kingston Metropolitan Region, as well as improve traffic management in the municipality.

Meanwhile, the JUTC boss said a decision has been taken to delay the implementation of the $20-incentive for adult passengers while the company examines other options. “We are doing further review to see what kind of alternate customer rewards and loyalty programmes we can put in place… there are other options including a bonus system as well as other options,” he said.

In December the JUTC said it would move aggressively as of January to have passengers who use cash pay $120 while Smarter Card passengers pay $100. The company said this was one of the measures that would be pursued to protect bus crew from robberies, following the hold-up and murder of 51-year-old JUTC driver Albert Barnes on board one of its units in August Town last December. The payment structure had already been proposed.