Traffic chief opposes MPs on trucks
Dec 05, 2009
THE suggestion by Members of Parliament that heavy trucks should be banned from moving at night has been opposed by the acting commissioner of Police traffic and road safety.
By Ben Okiror
THE suggestion by Members of Parliament that heavy trucks should be banned from moving at night has been opposed by the acting commissioner of Police traffic and road safety.
Bazil Mugisha said once trucks are in good mechanical condition and the drivers obey traffic regulations, they can safely move at night. He added that in the era of regional integration, it would be economically damaging for a country to unilaterally ban night movement of traffic.
“We need to improve on the safety standards of these trucks rather than stopping them from moving at night,†Mugisha said while addressing the press on Thursday at the Police headquarters on Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala.
He added: “Our economy will be affected because roads cover over 90 percent of our transport needs.â€
He was responding to a question on the proposal by some Members of Parliament regarding the ban.
The MPs were reacting to the death of their colleague, Budiope County MP, Henry Balikoowa that occurred on Sunday after his car collided with a sugarcane tractor owned by the Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited (SCOUL) on the Jinja-Kampala Road in Mabira.
The Prime Minister, Apolo Nsibambi, said the Police and SCOUL management had agreed to restrict the movement of sugarcane trucks on the highway to daytime.
Meanwhile, 19 people died and 129 others were injured in accidents involving 22 buses within a spate of two months.
Mugisha announced that the Police had established at least three checkpoints along each upcountry route to check errant bus drivers.
“All bus drivers are required to carry their original driving permits and to present them whenever required,†he said, adding that drivers would also have to move with original copies of route charts and time tables.
“Failure to comply will lead to prosecution, suspension and cancellation of operator’s licences.â€
The traffic boss announced that between November 23-28, the Police had carried out 1,668 checks on buses, prosecuted 11 drivers and issued 68 tickets in the express penalty scheme, totalling to sh5m.
He urged everyone to report bad driving, excessive loading and any other case to the traffic toll free line 0800199399.
THE suggestion by Members of Parliament that heavy trucks should be banned from moving at night has been opposed by the acting commissioner of Police traffic and road safety.
Bazil Mugisha said once trucks are in good mechanical condition and the drivers obey traffic regulations, they can safely move at night. He added that in the era of regional integration, it would be economically damaging for a country to unilaterally ban night movement of traffic.
“We need to improve on the safety standards of these trucks rather than stopping them from moving at night,†Mugisha said while addressing the press on Thursday at the Police headquarters on Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala.
He added: “Our economy will be affected because roads cover over 90 percent of our transport needs.â€
He was responding to a question on the proposal by some Members of Parliament regarding the ban.
The MPs were reacting to the death of their colleague, Budiope County MP, Henry Balikoowa that occurred on Sunday after his car collided with a sugarcane tractor owned by the Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited (SCOUL) on the Jinja-Kampala Road in Mabira.
The Prime Minister, Apolo Nsibambi, said the Police and SCOUL management had agreed to restrict the movement of sugarcane trucks on the highway to daytime.
Meanwhile, 19 people died and 129 others were injured in accidents involving 22 buses within a spate of two months.
Mugisha announced that the Police had established at least three checkpoints along each upcountry route to check errant bus drivers.
“All bus drivers are required to carry their original driving permits and to present them whenever required,†he said, adding that drivers would also have to move with original copies of route charts and time tables.
“Failure to comply will lead to prosecution, suspension and cancellation of operator’s licences.â€
The traffic boss announced that between November 23-28, the Police had carried out 1,668 checks on buses, prosecuted 11 drivers and issued 68 tickets in the express penalty scheme, totalling to sh5m.
He urged everyone to report bad driving, excessive loading and any other case to the traffic toll free line 0800199399.