'Where will truckers sleep if not at toll plazas?'

2 Jun 2000 - By Staff reporter

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I refer to your article headed Truckers turn toll plazas into informal overnight stops - Law enforcement will begin soon (FTW May 12, 2000).
The Road Traffic Inspectorate cannot technically or morally enforce the no stopping to sleep at the Toll Plazas rule.
This problem has a simple equation - add up the beds available between Van Reenen and Pinetown in the Truck stops and Ultras and One stops .... deduct this figure from the count of heavies on the N3 at night and there is a shortfall of 400 or more. Where must these drivers pull off to sleep? Who is going to take the responsibility of moving on a tired, sleepy driver? Who will answer if a moved on trucker has an accident with a body-count? WHO?
The Road Traffic Inspectorate, Road Freight Association and the South African Truck Stop Association (Jaco Marais Pres) have had numerous meetings with no visible results. SATSA want sole rights and said that they would build more truck stops, but to date not a brick has been laid.
I can assure you that all sorts of plans have been put forward, ideas mooted and decisions made, but no action. This would account for the RTI's exasperation, but the law should not be enforced until an alternative is available.
At all major intersections there is state land lying vacant which could be developed into low-cost, safe areas - hardened, fenced, lit and supplied with taps, toilets and showers. Add security guards. These would take up the slack for a long time to come and would probably cost less to develop than is spent on attending to accidents and altercations.

Vincent Champion, Durban.