CROSS KEYS, Manchester — Member of Parliament for Manchester Southern Robert Chin says it will cost $2.4 billion to repair all the roads in his constituency, even as residents and taxi operators on Monday downed trees to block main roads and called on Chin to fast-track the roadworks.

“Just last week we started to patch the roadway from Newport heading in the direction of Pusey Hill and we are scheduled to do some patching this week along the Restore to Pusey Hill road,” he said.

“Further funds were allocated to carry out more roadworks in that area before the end of the year. I inherited the roads in the constituency in a very deplorable condition and I reported in Parliament very recently that it would take approximately $2.4 billion to fix all the roads in the constituency; it cannot be done overnight,” he added.

Classes were suspended at Cross Keys High School due to Monday’s roadblock.

Residents and taxi operators say the road repairs are needed urgently.

Paulette Richmond, a resident of Cross Keys, called on Chin to address the state of the roads.

“We are demonstrating over the poor road conditions in south Manchester; it is a disgrace down here in the Cross Keys area, Resource, Marley Hill, Restore into Plowden and from Newport into Cross Keys,” she told journalists.

“We have a high school down here, a primary school, courthouse, a health centre and doctors can’t come in today because of the road condition; it is very bad. We need to see a representative, Mr Robert Chin,” she added.

A taxi operator, who asked not to be named, said he and his colleagues are faced with high expenses to repair their vehicles due to the deplorable condition of the roads.

“The road is very bad. The price of the vehicle parts, tyre, maintenance of vehicle, everything gone up… examiner out there pon we every day; it a lick out the bushing dem,” he said.

— Kasey Williams