Need to accelerate implementation of Bus Rapid Transport system – Police
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Alexander Obeng on Tuesday called for the accelerated implementation of the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRT) to help curb the road crashes and recklessness often caused by some private commercial drivers.
ASP Obeng, Head of Education Research and Training at the National Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) said the BRT could reduce indiscipline on the roads, especially in the cities since it sought to provide a reliable, time-bound and comfortable means of transportation to the public.
ASP Obeng made the call in an interview with Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra.
He said private commercial vehicles, as the major means of transport in the country, posed more danger to people because drivers were always in haste and therefore disobeyed motor traffic rules, hence their frequent involvement in road crashes.
“Due to economic reasons, these drivers are willing to go at any length even when they are tired, they stop and pick up passengers at will, chase after passengers and indulge in wrongful overtaking,” he added.
ASP Obeng said the MTTU had stepped up efforts since the beginning of the year to ensure that such deviant people were punished, adding that 2,092 people had been convicted from January to August nationwide, as against 3,348 people convicted during the whole of last year.
He said another worrying trend in the offences committed by drivers were the use of DV and DP number plates, also known as trade licence for commercial purposes, for social activities like funerals, weddings, carrying children to and from school, other than its intended purpose.
ASP Obeng said 29 of such deviant drivers were arrested last week in addition to 13 being processed for court within the Accra Metropolis.
“There are instances of hit-and-run drivers, people abuse the trade licence and use such vehicles as licensed and this is unacceptable,” he said.
ASP Obeng explained that apart from activities relating to the testing of such vehicles, they were prohibited from any other journey or usage.
He stressed that the MTTU would continue to ensure drivers and other road users strictly adhered to laid down regulations to maintain discipline on the roads.
Source: GNA