Urban planners suggest designated vending arcades to help cope with sidewalk vending in Jamaica.

Urban planner and lecturer at the University of Technology, Earl Bailey, says the chaos being created by vendors on the streets could be lessened if market areas were designed with pedestrian traffic more in mind, rather than motor vehicular.

"The reason why street vending is such a bad thing is because we are planning for motor vehicles rather than planning for people and their activities," he argues.

Bailey says where there is street vending in more developed countries and some other Caribbean islands, greater regard is given to pedestrian activities in the urban planning process.

According to Bailey, the Government should be aiming to create more space for pedestrians, while simultaneously creating space for vendors near, or in designated spots accessible to pedestrians. He recommends more open markets and acknowledges the recent move to rent vendors designated spots on sidewalks in Half-Way Tree as a good attempt by the local parish council to incorporate vending more suitably into the urban structure.

Bailey adds that certain sections of capital towns or city centres can be zoned as pedestrian areas at least once per week, and vehicular traffic and parking in the area restricted.

"We need to stop seeing the cultural things brought over from our history as negative. How do we incorporate these modern practices into our modern planning?" is the question he says need to be asked during the planning process.

Bailey says market designs are also poor and the facilities improperly placed, adding that many are uncomfortable for vendors because they are not designed to support the traditional means most use to display their goods and produce. He suggests that markets should be upgraded to afford vendors more comfort for the long hours they spend there.

"The market should offer something better than what I would use on the street side," says Bailey.

- G.M.