Motorists laud new decongestion model

HARARE motorists have welcomed the recent move by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to deploy traffic officers at some of the capital’s notorious intersections as part of the new traffic decongestion model.

The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) and Greater Harare Association of Commuter Operators (GHACO) said the initiative helped prevent careless driving and protected law-abiding motorists.

TSCZ spokesman Mr Tatenda Chinoda told The Herald that ZRP’s move was in tandem with international best practice, where officers control traffic at junctions to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.

“This is a welcome development as people are now able to reach their destinations in time,” he said.

“It creates free room for innocent motorists who were suffering under the expense of careless driving by kombi drivers.

“The highway code says it is also the role of police officers to control traffic congestion, and this model has helped decongest the central business district (CBD).”

In an interview with The Herald yesterday, GHACO secretary-general Mr Ngoni Katsvairo said the new model had since registered significant progress in the CBD.

“The ZRP traffic decongestion model is commendable,” he said. “The police have managed to curtail traffic congestion in some of Harare’s junctions, which include Seke flyover and Coca Cola Graniteside intersection.

“We urge motorists and kombi drivers to comply with traffic officers’ instructions. We have also observed that most of Harare bus terminuses are becoming too small to cater for more kombis to rank as the number of commuters increases.

“However, we also urge passengers to board commuters in designated areas and avoid boarding mushikashika (pirate taxis) as these are the main causes of congestion in the central business district.”