– more roads needed to reduce traffic congestion

OVER 100,000 vehicles have been registered in Guyana since 2013 and with no new roadways, traffic congestion is inevitable until new carriageways are built to give drivers more options.
This is according to Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent Ramesh Ashram, who noted that Friday’s traffic backup on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) was as a result of new traffic arrangements.

Traffic on the EBD carriageway was backed up for almost eight hours, resulting in commuters being stuck for hours, as a result of traffic cones being placed in the centre of the roads.
During an interview with the Sunday Chronicle, the Traffic Chief said that these traffic cones will now be moved to the end of the roadways during peak hours to ensure pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists have a safe space for themselves, instead of utilising the same corridor with motor vehicles.
On Monday last, pedestrian Kevin Monderson, 34, of Tucville Squatting Area, Georgetown, was struck down and killed on the Agricola Public Road, Greater Georgetown during the third lane traffic.

He was killed on the eastern carriageway when the third lane for north bound traffic was activated; motor lorry, GPP 8215, was proceeding north along the western drive lane of the eastern carriageway and collided with him when he crossed the roadway.
The Traffic Chief noted that the fatal accident was unfortunate but noted that there will be a daily monitoring of traffic activities especially when the three lane, to or from, the Demerara Harbour Bridge is activated as the need arises daily.

He noted that traffic ranks will be posted strategically to ensure no overtaking or obstruction of the traffic.
Construction of a new Harbour Bridge is expected to commence soon; the bridge will stretch from Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara to La Grange, West Bank Demerara.
It is believed that the traffic situation will reduce significantly once this bridge is in place.

INCREASE IN FINES
Meanwhile, the Traffic Chief said he recommended 20 offences to be placed on the ticket books, along with an increase in fines that vary from $15,000 to $25,000.
Some of the offences the Traffic Chief wants to be ticketed include failure to give right of way to emergency vehicles, failure to conform to signs, breach of traffic light signals, tinted motor vehicle, and restriction of use of cellphones while driving, amongst others.

This year’s national road safety week was observed under the theme “Stop Speeding, Don’t Drink and Drive, Stay Alive”
During the feature address last Monday at Parliament Park, located on the corner of Brickdam and High Street, Georgetown, Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn, said that “we find ourselves in particularly tragic and alarming circumstances related to the great and accelerated loss of life due road accidents.”
Statistics show that there has been a 37% increase in road fatalities this year when compared to 2019. Benn explained that this is quite alarming, because there has been a national curfew in place since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite these measures, Benn noted that the death rate due to accidents has gone up significantly.
The statistics, Benn said, showed, too, that the most dangerous period to be on the road ways is between 18:00hrs to midnight. This is because the majority of the road fatalities took place during that period.

He also pointed out that motorcyclists and pedal cyclists accounted for a large number of all road deaths so far.
Benn added that the age group 25 to 42 years accounts for 60% of all road deaths and that the largest number of persons who die, by gender, are men.
He highlighted as well that the cause of these fatalities ranges from absence of brakes, lights, casual use of the roadways, drunk drivers, drug users, etc.
Motorcyclists are known for riding without helmets, he continued.

“There should be a campaign for pedestrians to avoid using dark clothing at nights,” said Benn.
Benn also asked for 50 more speed guns to be made available for traffic ranks.