A examine performed by the Financial Fee for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has discovered that the common commuter in Trinidad and Tobago spends about one month yearly in visitors delays.
The examine notes that because of this, the direct financial price of visitors within the CARICOM nation is estimated at TT$2.26 billion yearly or 1.37 per cent of gross home product (GDP).
The delay in visitors and its price to the economic system are two of the primary findings of the examine entitled “An Evaluation of the financial prices of car visitors congestion within the Caribbean – A case examine of Trinidad and Tobago”.
ECLAC stated that over the interval June to September, 2023, information was collected, utilizing on-line subject surveys, through which respondents answered questions on their visitors congestion expertise in Trinidad and Tobago.
It stated a key assumption which underpinned the tactic is that commuters, each drivers and passengers, are finest in a position to estimate the period of time spent in visitors throughout their each day actions.
The examine discovered that the majority respondents- 56 per cent feminine and 44 per cent male – reported that they commuted at the least thrice per week in self-driven non-public automobiles (81 per cent), carrying no passengers.
“The issue of vehicular visitors has been studied worldwide, and has vital financial, social and environmental results. Within the European Union, traffic-related loss quantities to some 1.4 per cent (200 billion Euros) of GDP. Within the USA, visitors triggers an annual lack of 0.7 per cent of GDP or some US$151 million.”
ECLAC stated earlier than the publication of this analysis, no research have estimated the financial influence of visitors congestion on the nationwide degree within the English-speaking Caribbean.
“This examine discovered that the common time delays for weekday durations ranged from a low of three minutes at evening, to a excessive of 58 minutes through the late afternoon interval. On weekdays, visitors delays from 4am – 9am averaged 52 minutes.
“The common weekly time misplaced per employee in Trinidad and Tobago was estimated to be 793 hours, roughly 16 hours every work week. The analysis used hourly wage charges partitioned throughout the full labour pressure”
ECLAC stated that the issue of visitors congestion has grow to be a significant problem amongst Caribbean small island growing states (SIDS), particularly within the context of the sub-region’s rising urbanisation and rising ranges of motorisation over the previous three a long time.
The examine notes that the highway community in Trinidad and Tobago developed within the method typical of SIDS, with restricted land assets, economies of scale and hilly topography limiting choices for increasing highway infrastructure.
The examine discovered that inhabitants progress and concrete enlargement outpaced the event of highway networks; moreover, the excessive per capita automobile possession of 0.5 automobiles per particular person is contributing to the extreme visitors congestion and lengthy commutes.
“Automobile gross sales in Trinidad and Tobago proceed to development upwards. Between 2010-2019, there was an addition of roughly 15,000 new automobiles per yr. Whereas car inventory numbers have repeatedly risen, during the last 4 a long time, highway community infrastructure has a tough enhance of solely 0.5 per cent per yr. “
The examine makes coverage suggestions for consideration over the quick to medium time period, together with, persevering with efforts to strengthen public transportation companies, methods to make public transportation extra accessible, protected and enticing to commuters in addition to enhancing the function of paratransit or auxiliary service suppliers.
It stated elevated telecommuting to scale back the necessity for bodily commuting, particularly amongst skilled staff; additional funding in a faculty bus service, which might mitigate school-generated tragic congestion and software of higher spatial planning and visitors administration instruments when planning for annual and or seasonal occasions are additionally included among the many suggestions.
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