Residents Sign ‘Stop’ Petition Against Heavy Laden Trucks
More than 100 residents living at the Vuda Back Road in Lautoka have signed a petition to stop all heavily laden vehicles from using the area as a detour.
These vehicles are believed to be causing excessive dust which is alleged to have affected the health of the elderly residents in the area including children, claims Vuda resident Vyas Deo Sharma.
Mr Sharma who has been living in the area for many years said the Vuda Back Road was used by motorists from Lomolomo end to Lautoka and the Tavakubu Road back to Lomolomo.
Mr Sharma said the issue has been ongoing but now it has become worse.
“Heavily laden vehicles would start accessing the Vuda Back Road from early in the morning to dusk on a daily basis,” he said.
“The amount of dust is posing serious health risks to the residents. The drivers of these vehicles would speed to finish the journey as quickly to avoid detection from relevant agencies,” he alleged.
He said a letter of concern has been written to relevant authorities.
Fiji Roads Authority
Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) acting chief executive officer, Kamal Prasad said FRA had no control over which route trucks should take when traveling.
Mr Prasad said they were arranging a discussion with the District Officer Lautoka to facilitate assistance from the Ministry of Lands and the Ministry of Forestry on speaking to logging companies and gravel extraction companies to use the Wairabetia Road as it is a demarcated heavy traffic detour route until the Velovelo bridge construction is completed in November 2021.