How the July 2025 Closure of Ladder Hill Road Will Affect Your Taxi Rides with Williams Taxis & Tours
Major Road Works Ahead
From 1st to 31st July 2025, Ladder Hill Road and Shy Road will be fully closed 24 hours a day. This essential work by the St Helena Highways Authority includes resurfacing and road bed repair, and no vehicle traffic will be allowed through the area for the entire month.
For residents and visitors who regularly use these routes—especially between Jamestown and the western districts like Half Tree Hollow, St Paul’s, and more —this means significant changes to travel routines & costs.
What This Means for Taxi Services
At Williams Taxis & Tours, we’re preparing to keep you moving during this challenging time. However, the closure of Ladder Hill Road will directly affect how we operate.
Most notably, fares for trips between Jamestown and the western side of the island will increase, as our taxis will need to take the longer cross-country routes. These detours not only add to travel time but also to fuel consumption and general vehicle wear and tear, all of which are reflected in our pricing.
In addition, waiting times for taxis will likely increase, particularly during peak hours. We’ll do everything we can to minimize delays, but please be aware that reaching your location may take more time than usual due to road diversion.
To better serve the community during this period, we will be operating two vehicles throughout the day, strategically based on either side of the island:
One vehicle will operate within Jamestown
The other will be stationed in the Half Tree Hollow/St Paul’s area
This means that whichever vehicle is closer to you at the time of booking will be dispatched, helping reduce waiting times and keeping things running as smoothly as possible given the circumstances. No vehicle will come back across country empty, meaning once dropping off a customer that vehicle will stay there until another call from that location comes in to go into Jamestown or vice versa.
Due to the extended travel time required for our Home to Duty runs, we regret that we will not be offering early morning taxi services throughout July. Our drivers will need to begin their working day earlier than usual to meet these commitments, which limits our availability for early customer pickups.
Tips to Keep Taxi Travel Efficient and Affordable
While the road works will bring unavoidable disruptions, there are a few ways you can help reduce costs and improve your travel experience:
Share a taxi with a friend or neighbour who’s heading in the same direction. Splitting the fare is a great way to save money.
Pre-arrange your taxi whenever possible to help us plan our dispatching more effectively and reduce your wait time.
Allow extra time when planning trips, especially for important appointments like hospital visits, job interviews, or airport transfers. The inland routes will be busier than usual, so plan ahead.
Stay Updated on Facebook
This blog post is part of an ongoing effort to keep our customers informed. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing regular updates, travel tips, and reminders on our Facebook page. Make sure you’re following us to stay in the loop and receive helpful information throughout the road closure period.
Contact Us
If you have questions or would like to pre-book a taxi, you can reach us any time using the details below:
Taxi 1: +290 61911
Taxi 2 / WhatsApp: +290 64985
Email: craig@williamstaxis.co.sh
Website: williamstaxis.co.sh
We understand that road closures like this can cause inconvenience, but we’re committed to maintaining a high level of service through clear communication and proactive planning. Your patience and cooperation will make all the difference.
Let’s navigate this temporary disruption together—safely, reliably, and affordably.
