Accra, Sept.10, GNA — The National Road Safety Authority has directed six Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to cease any acts or omissions that directly or indirectly permit the unlawful use of tricycles for fare-paying passenger services.
The Authority said it would not hesitate to seek an enforcement order should the Assemblies fail to obey the directive in four weeks.
The six MMDAs are; New Juaben, Asokore Mampong, Berekum, Tafo, Bongo and Bawku.
A statement from the Authority said Regulation 128 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I.2180) prohibited tricycles for fare-paying passengers.
“Despite the unambiguous position of Regulation 128, there is evidence to confirm that the MMDAs herein are acting contrary to the law by permitting the use of tricycles for fare-paying passenger services by issuing stickers at a fee or approving terminals for the purpose,” the statement said.
It said the Authority considered the action by the Assemblies a threat to road safety.
It explained that the make and construction of tricycles did not meet the specifications for passenger-carrying vehicles as provided by Regulation 127 of L.I. 2180.
The statement said in a letter signed by Mrs May Obiri-Yeboah, Director-General of the Authority and copied to the six MMDAs, the Authority said the bodywork and construction of tricycles made them unsafe or unsuitable for the conveyance of passengers.
It said the tricycle had opened sides and was without seatbelts for both the driver and passengers.
The Authority said it was vested with the public duty to reduce road traffic crashes and casualties by issuing compliance notices or directives, where it appeared to the Authority that an undertaking within the road environment constituted a road safety threat.
“The emergence and use of motorcycles and tricycles appear to threaten the considerable gains made in improving the national road safety situation. Motorcycle and Tricycle-related deaths and injuries have increased by 87 per cent over the last five years,” the statement said.
GNA