“Thallu start to racing cars – Business Times August 5″
Permit me to express personal views on the above article by Kussi Amma Sera which is a good analysis of what is most often referred to as the transport crisis. Your article is possibly triggered by the recent duty hike proposed on smaller cars. Reducing the number of vehicles on the road could not reduce congestion as you too rightly point out.
It is a commonly expressed opinion of politicians both in the past and the present that congestion is caused by the number of vehicles on the roads, they therefore seek ways and means to install deterrents to the population owning a vehicle, these actions only seek to deprive the population of their right to progress in their lives. The hierarchy of needs thus applies only to politicians in our country where the ordinary citizen should remain as it is.
When is the matter of the number of vehicles on the roads considered when duty free permits are issued liberally to several categories of privileged persons, how many such luxury vehicles are registered each year and what is that rate of growth?
Is it not the duty of the abundance of politicians, academics, planners, presidential and ministerial advisors to anticipate and plan every aspect of the future of the country including what will offer the population a better quality of life, or do we continue to seek solutions after the garbage has collapsed and destroyed the innocent citizens?
According to the published statistics the total vehicle population near doubled in eight years 2008 to 2016 (3.4 million to 6.3 million).Were the planners and politicians unaware of this or have they been blindly gifted with the thought that the vehicle population has to be controlled then and now and for always?
To delve deeper into the question of traffic congestion, the number of vehicles using the roads is not the main cause of congestion, the fundamentals of road discipline are not followed by road users. How often do we not observe the following in total breach of road rules?
- U turn across all roads, by all but passenger buses.
- Reversing onto the main road from wherever parked
- Total disregard for lane discipline
- Blocking the lane turning left or right at traffic lights, obstructing the passage of traffic able to turn left or right.
- Motor cyclists and trishaws approach the traffic lights using a “third lane” defying the unbroken or double line.
- Vehicles coming out of byroads blocking the traffic to turn against the direction of flow.
- Private buses particularly, pick and drop passengers parking nearly on the middle of the road deliberately, to block the path of the competitor following from getting ahead.
- Trishaws and motorcycles swerving in and out of lanes just to get ahead, blocking traffic in their paths and abusing drivers who block their paths.
- Vehicle users give way to an ambulance and then follow the ambulance at that speed disregarding all rules.
- Motorcyclists chatting on their mobile phones wedged into the helmet.
- Open disregard for every road rule practiced by the private busses plying the High Level road between Pettah and Homagama. Unfortunately the police present on the road are observing pedestrians and cyclists as these buses approach.
The above are just a few of the basic road rules breached in complete disregard. Do these not contribute to congestion and the pace of movement of traffic?
Is there a need then for improved policing of traffic at least during all daylight hours when congestion is at its peak. Fines and more fines is the most effective means to ensure adherence to road rules. A perfect example would be the vast improvement to crossing the unbroken line in the outstations where the majority now follows the rule for fear of fines. The traffic on the Colombo Negombo road is well disciplined, heavy vehicle always on the left lane; how was this achieved.
Light rail transport systems are still on the drawing boards while the vehicle population has more than doubled between 2008 and 2018. It could be many years before this is operational. Under the circumstances the police force should assume greater accountability for the strict implementation of all road rules without exception.
We have read much about CCTV camera systems installed to monitor traffic violations in Colombo. What has become of the systems if they were installed, or is it simply a lack of concern or some minor malfunction not rectified?
Our young children are witnessing and experiencing the indiscipline and the resultant road rage, it would then become the norm for them who will know no better, whereas, if the adults they travel with act more responsibly, there is an example for the children to behave with more street discipline and concern for others. This applies to children travelling by any motorized transport.
The police could dismiss any such suggestions claiming inadequate manpower. They need to ensure that whoever is on duty implements the road rules without fear or favor.
The public can be of immense assistance if the police would seek their support. The public could capture photographs of instances of offences with the registration number of the vehicle and submit it to a central location, perhaps those responsible for the street cameras which are in use could decide on a course of action against the offenders. There would certainly be more meaningful means, may they be at least addressed.
Let us approach the matter of road congestion positively, let’s work towards the movement of traffic unhindered by the selfish unchecked indiscipline of a few.
- Rolph de Jong Maharagama.