CNG buses will operate in Scarborough, Tobago
In the small Caribbean island of Tobago, the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is setting aside one acre of land in the southwest for its first compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel station. The gas station will allow the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) to employ their new CNG buses on the island once the station is completed.
THA Chief Secretary Orville London explained the THA has comitted to the venture by setting to deliberate on three prospective sites for the station. “Their mandate is to have that done by the 18th of August,” the Chief Secretary said. “Based on that report, we will then be in a position to determine how we go about operationalising.”
London said there are a number of issues that will restrict the areas they can choose for the site, including the need to lay a gas line from the plant at the Cove Industrial Park. It is unlikely the CNG station will be operational until late 2016.
In the meantime, the THA is pursuing its plans to purchase 25 buses for the island. Those buses will be utilised by the Assembly, the Maxi Taxi Association and the PTSC. Currently, less than ten of the required 30 buses are operational in Tobago.
“The Tobago House of Assembly is highly supportive of this initiative to bring CNG to Tobago,” London said, adding that the THA will collaborate with various agencies to ensure the project is completed as soon as possible.
London was “heartened” by the assurance from PTSC Assistant Deputy General Manager of Operations for Tobago, Henry Cook, that the CNG buses have the power and capacity to operate “in any part of Tobago.”
(Source: Tobago House Assembly)
