Stakeholders caution against rushing to lift night travel ban

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Some stakeholders in the transport sector have expressed reservations over Transport and Logistics Minister Frank Tayali's indication that the long-standing night travel ban for public service vehicles (PSVs) will be lifted once construction works on the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway are completed.

BELSAM Driving School Chief Executive Officer Anthony Samuhandu says although the dual carriageway has already helped reduce travel time between Lusaka and Ndola, government should not rush to lift the night travel restriction.

Mr. Samuhandu said the ban was introduced at a time when the country was experiencing an increase in road traffic accidents and was intended as a road safety measure.

He said while improved road infrastructure has enabled vehicles to travel more efficiently, lifting the night travel ban for PSVs requires consideration of factors beyond the completion of the road project.

Speaking in an interview with Prime TV News, Mr. Samuhandu said authorities should first review some of the underlying issues that contributed to the introduction of the ban, including road discipline and the management of vehicle breakdowns.

Meanwhile, Safety for People on the Move founder Chifwesa Kaoma has cautiously welcomed Mr. Tayali's pronouncement, saying lifting the ban could improve efficiency in the transport sector.

Ms. Kaoma, however, said the Minister needs to provide greater clarity on how the proposed lifting of the ban would be implemented.

She said it remains unclear whether the restriction would be removed across the country or only on the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway once construction works are completed.

Ms. Kaoma acknowledged that the new dual carriageway is expected to provide safer and more efficient travel but warned that the condition of many other roads across the country remains poor.

She said some roads are difficult and dangerous to navigate even during the day, raising serious safety concerns about allowing public service vehicles to operate on such roads at night.

Ms. Kaoma has also questioned whether the proposed lifting of the ban is primarily motivated by road safety considerations or political pressure.

She noted that Zambia is in an election year and argued that politicians can face increased pressure to make announcements that are popular with the public.

The stakeholders have therefore called for a careful assessment of road conditions, enforcement capacity and passenger safety before any decision is made to lift the night travel ban.

Ends

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