No registration of Hiace buses next year

GOVERNMENT is considering stopping registration of imported Hiace buses by March next year in its effort to enforce the Statutory Instrument (SI) number 79 on public vehicle seat belts, says Ministry of Transport and Communication Permanent Secretary Misheck Lungu.

Speaking when he met transport operators from across the Copperbelt in Ndola, Mr Lungu said was not phasing out the hiace to attain public wanted public safety.

He said the country had a vision of becoming a logistic hub by 2030 hence the need for public service vehicles to have safety provisions.

He has since asked the Road, Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) to consider stopping the registration of imported Hiace vehicles without safety provisions by March 2018.

"Government is considering extending the deadline for all public service vehicles to have seat belts. In doing so, we will ensure the registration of imported Hiace is stopped by March, 2018.

We are asking the representatives of players in the sector to submit their proposals on the SI in question. Dialogue is important and we want to attain a similar goal at the end of the day," he said.

He said the move to implement the SI number 79 would reduce further the number of traffic accidents. Mr Lungu has called on engineers in the country to be help find solutions on how safety provisions like seat belts can be fitted in public service vehicles.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lungu has said that he has received the complaint on illegal bus stops and pirating vehicles.

He stated that the ministry would soon engage local authorities, RTSA and police to see to it how the scourge could be fought.