San José Vehicular Restrictions And Commuter Train Will Continue, Incoming Ministers Say
The new government of Oscar Arias, which will be sworn in on May 8, says that it will continue with the vehicular restrictions in San José for the next two months at least, while it studies the results. The restrictions are scheduled to end on May 8.

The future heads of the MOPT and MINAE said they will, during May and June, analyze the results of the measures to reduce fuel consumption approved last year by the current government.

In addition, the Arias administration will continue with the Pacheco administration plan that sees government workers begin their day at 7am, one earlier than in the past. The early hours will continue for at least another six months.

Karla González, the new head of the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) said, contrary to what the current government had announced, the vehicular restrictions have no expiry date. Outgoing MOPT minister, Randal Quiros, had said that the restrictions would end with his leaving office.

"All the measures that are good for the country will be continued by the new administration, but we have to first make sure that they are working", said González.

The future minister assures that her ministry will closely examine the results of the restrictions before making a decision to keep it or scrap it.

The vehicular restrictions are imposed on all vehicles entering the downtown core of San José from Monday to Friday, depending on the last digit of the license plate. Mondays vehicles with plates ending in 1 and 2 are restricted between the hours of 7am and 8:30am and 4pm and 5:30pm; Tuesdays 3 and 4; Wednesdays 5 and 6; Thursdays 7 and 8; and Fridays 9 and 0.

The fine for circulating during the restricted hours is ¢5.000 colones.

The current directive #42-2005 is place since 03 August 2005 when a barrel of crude oil on world markets was us$65. The original period of the directive was for six months, but then expanded to an indefinite expiry as the price of crude oil remained high.

The current price for crude reached a high of us$72 a barrel, which prompted the Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo (Recope) to ask for a ¢51 colones per litre increase on April 5. The Autoridad Reguladora de Servicios Públicos (ARESEP) - the government regulator of public prices and services - has yet to make a decision, which will probably be deferred until after the new government takes office.

Roberto Dobles, future ministro de Ambiente y Energía (MINAE) added that the "tren urbano" - commuter train will also continue to provide service between Pavas and San Pedro, while the results of the service is being analyzed for the coming next months.

Dobles added that his ministry will also be analyzing extending the service to Heredia and Cartago.