STREET vendors were on Wednesday removed from the streets of Falmouth, the Trelawny capital.

The operation, carried out by members of the Island Special Constabulary Force in collaboration with the Trelawny Parish Council, was part of a drive to get vendors to use the town’s market. The operation was led by Inspector Samuel “Sir T” Thomas, and involved almost 100 policemen who removed vendors from the streets and relocated them to the designated vending areas in the market.

“The vendors for the most part complied with our demands, as they were satisfied that conditions in the market have been reasonably improved,” Inspector Thomas told the Observer.

He said the police would be monitoring the streets vigorously in the future to ensure that the vendors remain in the designated areas.

“I am happy to know that the vendors are now in the market. There is enough space there for them,” the mayor of Falmouth, Jonathan Bartley said.

For many years, vendors from across the island have been converging on the North Coast town on Wednesdays to sell their goods at what is called the “Bend Down” market. A large number of these vendors, however, have refused to trade their merchandise inside the Falmouth market, where an area has been designed for them.

Many of these vendors, the parish council said, have made some streets impassable to vehicular traffic and difficult for pedestrians.

There have also been concerns about the blocking of entrances to businessplaces and garbage left on the streets by the vendors.