Government to tow, auction stationary trucks to curb road crashes
What you need to know:
- This is part of the string of resolutions arrived at during the three-hour-long crisis meeting convened by Speaker Anita Among on July 13 to address the escalating road crashes in Uganda.
- Government was directed to enforce speed limits around blind and black spots mostly in areas that have markets, schools and other public facilities.
All stationary vehicles and those that remain unattended to along highways will be towed away and auctioned, government has resolved.
This is part of the string of resolutions arrived at during the three-hour-long crisis meeting convened by Speaker Anita Among on July 13 to address the escalating road crashes in Uganda.
As she opened plenary on Thursday afternoon, Speaker Among said that the meeting she chaired in her boardroom at Parliament had resolved to activate the plan already entrenched in the Road Safety Act.
“Whereas the Traffic and Road Safety Act, 1998 has attendant regulations that have aided its operationalisation, the Roads Act, 2019 which addresses various aspects of road safety, does not have regulations,” Ms Among said adding that, “there is need for regulations to operationalise section 57, 58 and 59 on the towing and auctioning of abandoned or broken down automobiles on carriage ways.”
In order to activate this provision, Ministry of Works has been ordered to “expedite the development of regulations to operationalise the Roads Act, 2019.”
Speaker Among told plenary that “the Minister of Works undertook to table regulations operationalizing the Roads Act, 2019 within one month [and must be ready] by 13th August.”
The meeting was attended by key stakeholders within the transport sector and they included Government Chief Whip Mr Hamson Obua, Uganda Roads Authority (UNRA) Executive Director Ms Allen Kagina, officials from Ministry of Works, Uganda Police Force officials and a section of legislators.
To support the above directive, it was resolved UNRA “has immediately offered at least 8 tow vehicles to tow abandoned vehicles” off the highways.
In the event that there are any road accidents that occur in any part of the country the meeting resolved that the “Minister of ICT and National Guidance and Uganda Communications Commission should ensure the immediate dissemination of pop up messages on road safety to all mobile phone subscribers,” Ms Among read the resolution to plenary on Thursday afternoon.
It was noted that “government vehicles continue to be the highest perpetrators of traffic offences including road crashes” because Police officials reported too in the meeting that “In 2022, over 500 government vehicles were involved in accidents.”
In a bid to widened and allow motorists adequate spaces along highways, “UNRA is directed to immediately remove roadside markets and taxi parks that have encroached onto roads and road reserves,” said Ms Among.
Some of the markets to be affected by this directive include those at Busega, Lukaya, Kireka and Kyaliwajala.
Government was also directed to enforce speed limits around blind and black spots mostly in areas that have markets, schools and other public facilities.
