Frustration has reached new heights among residents during a recent public consultation in Suva, focusing on the escalating issue of traffic congestion, particularly along the Suva-Nausori corridor. Many attendees voiced their dissatisfaction with the daily traffic gridlock, calling for immediate solutions to address what they described as an increasingly unbearable situation.
Various proposals emerged during the session, including suggestions from Harish Chandra, managing director of Regent Taxis Pte Limited. He proposed shifting school hours by 30 minutes to alleviate peak-time congestion, arguing that smoother traffic flow is evident during school holidays when both students and commuters do not crowd the roads simultaneously.
Indar Deo, another local participant, pushed for stricter regulations on heavy vehicles during peak hours, an approach that has seen success in other nations. He highlighted the need to control the volume of traffic, suggesting limitations on non-essential trucks during critical commute times.
Additionally, attendees underscored the importance of better coordination between the Water Authority and road agencies to prevent unnecessary roadworks, which often worsen congestion conditions.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has issued a warning that the number of vehicles is expected to surge dramatically, with projections indicating an additional 10,000 registrations by December 2024. LTA CEO Irimaia Rokosawa noted a 7% increase in registered vehicles over the past year, which adds to existing registration backlogs. He recommended reconsidering vehicle importation and disposal policies, proposing a model akin to Singapore’s regulated car ownership through high taxes and permits.
Rokosawa’s remarks underscore the inadequacy of current infrastructure to accommodate the rapidly growing vehicle population, further intensifying resident frustrations. The community’s impatience with ongoing discussions reflects an urgent demand for immediate and effective actions to tackle the traffic crisis.
This active engagement from residents indicates a heightened awareness of the traffic challenges, paving the way for collaborative efforts to seek practical solutions for Fiji’s transportation system. The inclusion of local stakeholders may catalyze long-term enhancements, suggesting a brighter future for transportation that meets the evolving demands of the population. The collective effort for change holds the potential to reshape the transport landscape, promising better conditions for commuters in the future.
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