By JOHN SAKALA
The Zambian Roads & Highway Safety Group (ZRHSG) has noted with concerned the failure by road contractors to utilise the night as they work on busy sections of the road and their failure to mitigate for the increased congestions on the busy roads that they are working on.
The Group Admin Mthoniswa Banda said he had noted that busy roads were closed at 17:00 hrs for the night and remain closed till morning when the road workers report for work at 08:00 hours.
Mr Banda said busy roads are free at night and road works can utilise the night.
He said the road works, though necessary, have a hidden cost caused by congestion which is being passed on to motorists whose journeys have become long and spending more time on the roads and are now spending more on fuels as they meander from one detour to another in search of passage to their destination.
“Rush hours are now longer than before and hence motorists spending more on travelling time than before. The Group therefore calls on the road contractors, Road Development Agency (RDA) and the local Councils to devise a way for busy roads to be worked on with minimum interruptions and congestions including working during the night and for these roads to remain open during morning and evening rush hour.
“We are calling for improved detour signage, names of closed roads and directions to new roads so motorists not familiar with the area are guided around detours back to their preferred routes. Working at night will help reduce the time it takes to build roads and also manage congestion on the busy roads,” he said.
