Transport in Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda's transport systems include both public and privately run services. Roads in the country are paved and follow a winding and gently sloping course connecting parishes to villages and communities. Driving is on the left-hand side. The speed limit is set at 40 mph, Traffic signs posted throughout main roads in Antigua and Barbuda allow for ease of commute, and with GPS coordinates posted throughout the country, the process of navigation has become even easier.

Public transportation vehicles contain the letters "BUS" for buses or "TX" for taxis on their yellow licence plates. The government regulates taxi service, setting fixed fares rather than using a metered system. Taxi cabs are supposed to keep a copy of the rates inside the vehicle. On Antigua, taxis are easily found, particularly at the airport and at major hotels. Many taxi drivers also will act as tour guides.

Buses operate from 5:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily on Antigua, running between the capital city, St. John's, and various villages. However, buses do not stop at the airport or the northern tourist area. Although departure times are often left up to the driver, buses generally follow a set schedule. Most buses have their routes posted in the front windows, and they're usually privately owned mini-vans seating about 15 people. St. John's has two bus stations, the East Bus Station near the Botanical Gardens on Independence Ave and another one on Market St. near the Central Market. Several buses are also available on Barbuda.

Legislation

Vehicles and Road Traffic (Enforcement and Administration) Act

When a police officer has cause to believe that an offense has been or is being committed, it is legal for him to issue a notice to the driver accusing him of committing the offense, informing him that a complaint will be made against him regarding it, and requiring him to either pay the fixed penalty within the time period specified in the notice or appear in court on the day and at the time specified in the notice to answer the charges.[1] For the purposes of this Act, a notice that has been so attached shall be deemed to have been given to the person liable for the offense and, notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the registered owner, whenever a police officer finds a vehicle on any occasion and has reason to believe that an offense is being or has been committed in respect of that vehicle.[1] When a police officer intends to act in accordance with subsection (1) or (2), the notification must be issued or attached at the time he had cause to suspect the crime had been committed.[1] A duplicate of the notice must be sent by the police officer to the magistrate in charge of the judicial district where the alleged offense was committed. For the purposes of the Magistrate's Code of Procedure Act, this duplicate is treated as a complaint brought before the magistrate and a summons issued by the magistrate.[1] The police officer must sign any notice given or attached under Section 3 and it must include the following information: (a) the date, time, and location of the giving or affixing; (b) the section of the law that is alleged to have created the alleged offense; and (c) any other details about the alleged offense that are necessary for proceedings under the Magistrate's Code of Procedure Act. (c) the deadline by which the fixed penalty must be paid in accordance with section 5 (2); (d) the fixed penalty's amount; (e) the Clerk of the Magistrate to whom the fixed penalty may be paid or remitted and the address at or to which it may be delivered; and (f) the address of the Magistrate's Court where the person must appear if the fixed penalty is not paid within the deadline, along with the date and time of that appearance.[1] In cases where a section 3 notice has been issued, the driver or registered owner of the vehicle may pay the fixed penalty specified in the notice.[1] The stipulated penalty must be paid within ten days of the notice date. If payment is received by the clerk of the magistrate after that period, it will not be accepted and will be sent back to the sender.[1] No one will be found guilty of the offense for which the notice was provided when the stipulated penalty is properly paid in line with the notice, and the proceedings sparked by the notice will be deemed to have been abandoned.[1] The amount listed in the third column of the Schedule for a certain offense constitutes the fixed penalty for that offense.[1] In the same way that a punishment issued for an offense under the Magistrate's Code of Procedure Act is handled, payment of the fixed penalty must be made to the Clerk of the Magistrate having jurisdiction in the district where the alleged offense was committed.[1] The notification must be filled in the way specified by the driver or registered owner, as applicable, and be submitted with the payment of the predetermined penalty.[1] If the certificate claims to be signed by the Clerk, it shall, in any process, be sufficient proof of the facts indicated, unless the opposite is proved, that payment of the prescribed penalty was or was not made to the Clerk of the Magistrate by a date specified in the certificate.[1] When the fixed penalty is not paid within the notice's deadline, the offense listed in the notice will be prosecuted according to the Magistrate's Code of Procedure Act's rules.[1] Only the driver of the vehicle or the person responsible for the offense in question may remove or otherwise tamper with a notice that has been attached to a vehicle in accordance with section 3(2). Anybody found in violation of this section faces a $1,000 fine upon summary conviction.[1]

West Bus Station Routes
  1. 12 - Valley Rd, Joseph's Lane, All Saints Road, Belmont, Clarks Hill, Sea View Farm, Freemans Village.
  2. 13 - Valley Rd, Joseph's Lane, All Saints Road, Belmont, Buckleys, Swetes Village, John Hughes.
  3. 29 - Valley Rd, Joseph's Lane, All Saints Road, Belmont, Herberts.
  4. 42 - Valley Rd, Vivian Richards Street, Independence Drive, Factory Road, East Bus Station, Hailes Promenade, Factory Road, Airport Road, Coolidge, Free Trade Zone.
  5. 54 - Valley Rd, Vivian Richards Street, Independence Drive, Bishopgate Street, Cross Street, Friars Hill Road, Woods Mall.
  6. 15 - Valley Rd, Joseph's Lane, All Saints Road, Belmont, Clarks Hill, All Saints Village, Liberta Village, terminating at Horsford Hill.
  7. 17 - Valley Rd, Joseph's Lane, All Saints Road, Belmont, Clarks Hill, All Saints Village, Liberta Village, Falmouth, Cobbs Cross, English Harbour.
  8. 22 - Valley Road, Golden Grove, Big Creek, Ebenezer, Jennings, Bolans, Crabb Hill, Johnson Point, Urlings, Old Road.
  9. 50 - Valley Rd, Vivian Richards Street, Independence Drive, Bishopgate Street, Cross Street, Dickenson Bay Street, Villa, Yorks.
  10. 20 - Valley Road, Golden Grove, Big Creek, Ebenezer, Jennings, Bolans.
  11. 10 - Valley Rd, Joseph's Lane, All Saints Road, Bendals.
  12. 61 1 Valley Road, Federation Road, Gray's Farm. Greenbay, Five Islands.

Tourists are allowed to rent cars, provided they have a valid driver's license from their home country. They must first purchase a temporary driver's licence, which can often be arranged through rental agencies.

Several ports and harbours provide docking for cruise ships, sailboats, yachts, and other boats. All boats are required to enter in Antigua before continuing to Barbuda, and they must obtain a permit from the Port Authority to do so. Fees apply both for entering and docking in the country. The main port is at St. John's, receiving cruise ships and the Barbuda Express. The Barbuda Express travels between St. John's and Barbuda five days a week. Cruise ships also dock at Heritage Quay. English Harbour, the site of Nelson's Dockyard, began as an important port on Antigua centuries ago. Other ports and harbours include Jolly Harbour, Deepwater Harbour, High Point Crabbs Peninsula, and Codrington (Barbuda).

Airports

The country's major airport is V. C. Bird International Airport, which serves both international and local carriers. Located near St. John's on Antigua's northern coast, all commercial flights to the country first enter at this airport. With its recently built terminal building, constructed in 1981, its facilities are better than many airports in the Caribbean. After arriving at the airport, travellers can take chartered flights or boats to Barbuda or other Caribbean destinations.

Merchant Marine

Total: 964 (2017) By type: bulk carrier 36, container ship 238, general cargo 615, oil tanker 2, other 73 (CIA World Factbook 2017)

Statistics

Railways

There were formerly around 80 km of narrowgauge railways for sugarcane plantations. These are no longer used.[2]

Roads


total: 1,165 km (2002)
country comparison to the world: 182
paved: 384 km
unpaved: 781 km

Ports and harbours

Saint John's Victor en Virginia and en Videoshop

Airports

3 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 191

Airports - with paved runways:
total:2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2008)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2008)

See also

References
  1. http://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-461.pdf
  2. "Railways in Antigua & Barbuda". Retrieved 2010-12-19.

This article contains information from the CIA World Factbook 2009.

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