IT HAS been many years now since Jamaica established and developed toll plazas, perhaps to generate additional revenues, but more so to facilitate the haste and convenience of motorists. The operators must be commended for the services, which are being provided at these plazas but more could be done to modernise these 'malls'.

First, an area of the Vineyard Toll Plaza could be allotted and franchised to a petrol station company in order to enhance the convenience. It is no secret that motorists whose vehicles 'suddenly' need a small amount of gasolene to get off the highway and into some nearby petrol station have been accommodated. Not bad, but the facility to full up may be more convenient. In addition, getting a snack under the same roof, as most petrol stations provide, would be appreciated.

Cash dispensers

Second, the same building could house an automatic teller machine (ATM) to dispense cash to motorists who have multilinked cards. It is not permitted to make U-turns around at the toll plazas and, therefore, not being able to locate all the cash that was saved for the toll could cause a long delay or do what is 'beyond the pale' for some persons - beg another motorist for a 'make up'. It would be more convenient to use the ATM if a card with adequate cash is accessible. However, the alternative is to upgrade the collection method. Why not have special lanes for payments by cards - credit or debit? Let's assume that most motorists are cardholders. The recent increase in toll would have caught many persons short of cash, forced to reverse from the cashier's window - trapped without cash.

Disturbing for motorists

Because of the fast-moving nature of toll plazas, the petrol station with its ATM modality could be placed strategically to avoid traffic conges-tion and loitering in the vicinity of the toll cashiers. Certainly, a long stretch of road without convenient gasolene dispensers and facility to get cash, especially for toll, is disturbing for motorists who are running out of gasolene and/or cash.

I am, etc.,

CANUTE WHITE

Superpower342002@yahoo.ca

Kingston