The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) is asking passengers of buses plying Marescaux Road routes to set out for school and work earlier than usual during the staging of the ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007.

Manager of service planing and network development at the JUTC, Jacqueline Darwood, told JIS News that passengers will need to make allowance for some delay at National Heroes Park, which will serve as a major park and ride/walk hub for cricket fans. The site will also accommodate parking for VIPs, the media, disabled fans and buses transporting groups from the north coast.

"Passengers will need to exercise a lot of patience as the buses will not be running as normal," she said.

Meanwhile, there will be minimal dislocation for passengers along South Camp Road, as buses on routes 66,81,86 and 88 have been re-routed, due to traffic restrictions around Sabina Park on match days.

"When we looked at the area to be affected, the distance to walk from Elletson Road and back is not excessive, and there is a security boundary around the stadium that we cannot avoid," Ms Darwood said.

She noted that the JUTC has been working in partnership with the Jamaica Local Organising Committee and the Social Development Commission to sensitise persons in communities surrounding Sabina Park about the bus route changes.

"I know that they have been visiting churches, homes and I understand that they have put out some pamphlets to give out to residents, and they have been disseminating the information in that way," she said.

"We were also part of the public forum that they had at the (Jamaica ) Conference Centre a couple weeks ago where that information was shared. We will also continue working with them in whatever way we can," Ms Darwood stated. There are also plans to publicise the information via print advertisements.