Angered by the deplorable state of a section of Waltham Park Road, irate taxi drivers and residents used old motor vehicle tyres and large appliances to block the thoroughfare in the vicinity of McArthur Avenue on Friday to protest the terrible state of the roads.

According to the taxi drivers, that section of the road has been repaired on numerous occasions, but the state of the thoroughfare has grown increasingly worse especially after a prolonged period of heavy rainfall this week.

“This is pure almshouse dem a gwaan wid. Where are the billions the government said that they set aside to fix roads,” one taximan bemoaned.

The protests snarled traffic and forced many motorists to use alternative routes.

Egeton Newman, president of the Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services, described the recurring problem as a “total disaster” and supported the actions of the taxi operators.

“I was advised about the plan to block the road, and I am in support of it. For the past three weeks, we endorse any activity, any demonstration by transport operators over the poor road conditions, we support them,” Newman said.

“The time has come for the government to understand that we pay taxes and we need a good environment in which to work, we cannot turn a blind eye to the conditions anymore. The roads in St. Mary, St. James and St. Thomas are terrible, and after every pothole, there is an Island Traffic Authority personnel with their spanner to take off your plate because your car is not roadworthy and and that is caused by bad roads,” Newman continued.

Newman demanded that the government take action “now” or face more intense protests.

“We spend thousands and thousands to repair front end and deal with our taxes,  and we’re getting no respect or action so we are saying to government, address the road conditions now. What about the billions set aside to repair roads?” Newman asked.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for St Andrew South Western, Angela Brown Burke said while the roads in the area have been identified for rehabilitation work to be done under the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) programme, it is a “shame that every year persons have to come and create a big thing for any work to be done.

“I would certainly understand the anger and frustration of the persons that use that thoroughfare both in terms of motorists as well as pedestrians because the truth is, it is in bad conditions and quite frankly it is a road that we have spoken about on so many occasions.

“It is one of those roads that we have identified certainly from South West St Andrew perspective for SPARK because it is a road that is the responsibility of the National Works Agency (NWA),” she added.

The MP outlined that temporary work has been done on roads within the south west and east central St Andrew communities but says a more permanent solution needs to come to fruition.

“I think last year we had similar issues on the portion that was closer to West Central St Andrew, year before that we had similar issues closer to where this one is taking place. We spoke to NWA, got some intervention but I think it is really a shame that every year persons have to come and create a big thing for any work to be done,” she said. “It does need to be fixed and it needs to be done urgently.”