Leaders of Barbados’ public service vehicle (PSV) sector are issuing a formal call for immediate cross-stakeholder consultations to overhaul Bridgetown’s emergency traffic management and mass evacuation protocols, after crippling gridlock tied to recent Remembrance Day Parade rehearsals exposed critical gaps in the capital’s ability to move people efficiently during large-scale disruptions. The disruption unfolded this week when city-wide traffic diversions were rolled out to accommodate practice runs for the November 15 national Remembrance Day Parade, snarling rush-hour routes and leaving commuters and transport operators stranded for hours. Two prominent public transport industry representatives – Anwar Nana, Chairman of the Association of Public Transport Operators (APTO), and Craig Banfield, Director of Complaints and Legal Affairs for the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) – emphasized that the week’s congestion is a warning sign for far higher-stakes emergency scenarios. Banfield stressed that the delays were severe, with some PSV operators and private motorists taking more than two hours to navigate out of the Bridgetown city limits amid the parade rehearsal diversions. While the transport alliance acknowledges the public importance of national commemorative events and their required logistical preparations, he noted that the cascading delays laid bare how easily the capital’s road network can become overwhelmed. His core concern extends far beyond isolated event-related inconvenience: as the island’s Department of Emergency Management runs a series of nationwide tsunami simulation drills, Banfield warned that uncoordinated traffic planning could put thousands of Bridgetown residents and visitors at mortal risk if a fast-moving crisis such as an approaching hurricane or tsunami strikes. He argued that Barbados cannot afford to wait for a real disaster to address untested, uncoordinated evacuation plans, noting that effective emergency preparedness requires more than just written documentation: it demands clear, pre-vetted evacuation routes, cross-agency coordination, and direct input from frontline transport operators who know the island’s road networks better than most institutional stakeholders. When contacted for comment, Acting Inspector Ryan Brathwaite, Communications and Public Affairs Officer for the Barbados Police Service, confirmed that a formal Bridgetown traffic evacuation plan is already in place, but was unable to confirm whether PSV sector representatives or other non-law enforcement stakeholders contributed to its development, or share specific operational details of how the plan would be activated during a major life-threatening event. While Nana echoed support for building a robust, dedicated emergency traffic management strategy for the capital, he framed this week’s rehearsal-related congestion as a predictable, minor tradeoff for a high-priority national celebration, noting that the isolated disruption was not a pressing concern for his association at this moment, even as he backed broader efforts to formalize coordinated evacuation planning for future crises.