Susan Gordon, Business Reporter

Some of the 50 new buses that have been added to JUTC's fleet. - File

The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) says it will be building a short term park and ride bus park in Portmore at a cost of $12 million commencing August.

The park which will be constructed on 15,232.77 square metres or 3.76 acres of land acquired from the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) is to be located at the Portmore Town Centre, in the city of Portmore, St. Catherine.

However, the JUTC would not say at what cost the land was acquired from the UDC.

The project is to be completed approximately two months after commencement. A contractor is yet to be identified.

The terminus will be designed to accommodate over 50 parking spaces but, according to the JUTC, is being built with scope for expansion.

The JUTC said it was expecting additional revenue from the structure but refused comment on its projections.

Last year, the company's revenues rose to $2.7 billion, compared to the two previous years when its income just topped $2.2 billion.

Only recently, it acquired 50 new Man DAF VDL and Volvo buses paid for with a euro3.74 million loan. That loan servicing costs are expected to be borne either by the transport ministry or the finance ministry, in line with a commitment from government to finance the loss-making bus company's capital needs for now, while it restructures.

The JUTC said the new bus park for Portmore should reduce the number of bus deployments from Kingston, reduce toll and fuel costs for the JUTC bus operators, and improve the turnaround time to move passengers and consequently, customer waiting time.

susan.gordon@gleanerjm.com