Truckers await certainty over proposed legislation

Truck operators in
Gauteng remain in the
dark about the proposed
truck ban restricting the
use of heavy vehicles on
public roads during peak
hours.
According to Road
Freight Association
(RFA) spokesman Gavin
Kelly, there’s concern that
operations will come to a
near standstill across the
province.
The Department of
Transport has proposed
that vehicles of more than
9 000kg be prohibited
from operating on urban
roads from 6am to 9am
and from 5pm to 8pm,
Mondays to Fridays.
“We have submitted our
objections to some of the
amendments, but have not
heard anything to date,”
said Kelly.
While the ban would
be applicable across the
country and concern
over the issue had been
mounting countrywide, it
was especially worrying
in urban areas such as
Gauteng, he added.
There has also
been no further
notification
about the
department’s
plans to
reduce the
speed limit
from 60 to
40km/h in urban
areas, from 100
to 80km/h in rural
areas, and from
120 to 100km/h on
freeways running
through a residential
areas. He said there had
also been no word on the
proposal that drivers
be re-evaluated when
renewing their licences.
“It really is wait and see
at the moment,” said Kelly.