Lack of ample parking space leads to accidents-taxi operators

Lack of roadside parking space, especially around shopping centres, has resulted to traffic violations. This was revealed yesterday by the President of Kigali Taxi Services (KTS), Deogratias Kayitare, during a meeting between public transporters and the Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana. “When our customers want to shop, drivers are forced to park even in areas they are not allowed; the result is often an accident, especially in the process of overtaking,” Kayitare noted. “Without necessarily intending to violate traffic regulations, but serving the interest of our customers, sometimes drivers find themselves in compromising positions.” Kayitare cited the Giporoso-Kabeza road saying many accidents occurred because of lack of parking space. The State Minister in the Ministry of Infrastructure in charge of Transport, Dr.Alex Nzahabwanimana, told The New Times that plans are underway to set up parking lots on such roads. “As we promote public transport, we are also considering to increase parking areas to make sure that even passengers have enough points they can board vehicles from,” he said. During the meeting, it emerged that some people had illegally obtained public transport operating licenses. “Some people randomly select drivers who own vehicles in the taxi park, organise them and they claim to be public transporters. This has contributed to indiscipline because these people have no command over the drivers,” said Dodo Twahirwa, Chairman of Rwanda Federation of Transport Cooperative (RFTC). When contacted, the Director General of Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA), Regis Gatarayiha, said new measures had been put in place to ensure only potential transporters acquire operating licences. “In the past, we used to encourage people to join the business because public transporters were very few. But currently, we have standard measures and obligations for them to meet before they are given licenses to operate,” he said. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

National

Lack of ample parking space leads to accidents-taxi operators