MANDEVILLE, Manchester – Mayor of Mandeville Donovan Mitchell says the Manchester Municipal Corporation is awaiting the implementation of further traffic changes in this south-central town before imposing a delivery schedule for commercial vehicles.

“The matter of the delivery schedule is not going to take place until the second phase of the traffic system in Mandeville has been sorted out…” he told journalists on Thursday following criticism from the Manchester Chamber of Commerce.

The parish’s chamber president Mickella Rowe blamed the corporation for traffic congestion and poor planning in Mandeville.

“The Manchester Municipal Corporation is speaking about delivery trucks and the congestion in the town centre. What have they done in respect of these businesses who are legitimately operating in these spaces? Have they provided parking for those delivery trucks? Have they provided any form of statutory regulations basically to say you deliver [on a schedule]?” she asked on Tuesday.

Mayor Mitchell said the issue of traffic congestion and plans for a delivery schedule has been on the books for over a decade.

Mayor of Mandeville Donovan Mitchell speaking with journalists on Thursday in Mandeville. (Photo: Kasey Williams).

“You can’t have a delivery schedule without the traffic changes, and so before I became mayor the discussions were started with former Superintendent [Wayne] Cameron and team, as to what it is that we can do to enhance the traffic [flow] in the centre of the town and have a delivery schedule for the town. That matter has been on the order paper of the municipal corporation for 10 to 12 years now,” he said.

“We have put it on the backburner given our research… we need the backing of the police to make sure that the delivery schedule is adhered to, because there is a part of the act that says you need a police constable to make sure that things are going on,” he added.

Mitchell said he recently attended a sensitisation session with representatives from the National Works Agency (NWA) for phase two of the Greater Mandeville Traffic Improvement System. Phase one was implemented in December 2023.

“Some years ago before I became mayor there was a discussion as it relates to traffic changes in the town centre. The stakeholders were called to the meeting [recently] and we had the discussions and phase one of the traffic changes has taken place now there is phase two of the traffic changes that will take place. I was invited to a meeting like any other stakeholder with the NWA and to ask for our input. The other stakeholders including the taxi association were called in to make sure that they make an input,” he said.

He said stakeholders were given the chance to give their opinion on the placement of infrastructure.

“We discussed matters of where traffic lights would go. Phase two of the traffic segment from where I stand is about to roll out. I have been told that it has gone to procurement, so they are waiting on the final documents and all of that,” he said.