COLLISION OF DREAMS & NIGHTMARES

Jul 20 , 2019.

A new restriction banning heavy trucks operating on the streets of the capital has turned to dreams come true for commuters and a nightmare for the truckers and businesses delivering commodities, merchandises and material. The Addis Abeba City Administration issued the directive restricting the movement of heavy trucks on city roads and streets between the hours of 6:30am and 8:00pm.

The directive that went into effect on July 7, 2019, has noticeably reduced congestion on the city's roads, which convey 60pc of the total number of vehicles in the country. A study commissioned by the city has found that there are 585,000 vehicles making 4.2 million trips a day. Commuters told Fortune they are delighted by the lighter traffic they encounter, which has reduced their travelling times significantly. On the other hand, the reaction of truckers and businesses, whose livelihoods depend on hauling and receiving deliveries, is not exactly enthusiastic. One trucker said, "Unless the city comes to accommodate us, I am out of work."

The authorities, who have made some adjustments to the edict this week, say the challenges were not unforeseen, as they had commissioned a study before enforcing the ban. The restriction was put into effect with the simple goal of reducing at least 10pc of the city’s congestion, according to Solomon Kidane (PhD), economic cluster coordinator at the rank of deputy mayor.

PUBLISHED ON Jul 20,2019 [ VOL 20 , NO 1003]