Bula
Three stories make the front page of The Fiji Times for Wednesday, May 21.
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Synopsis
THE second term of school started yesterday and with it came traffic congestion in many of our urban centres around the country. The gridlock’s back!
It was a given that commuters had to expect that anyway!
It’s a harsh reality of our daily lives, and it does get worse when school is on!
That’s when commuters and motorists brace themselves for the mother of all congestions.
And it happens like clockwork! School resumes, and the traffic numbers hit the ceiling!
Commuters and motorists braced themselves for traffic congestion yesterday, with suggestions that the Government ought to stop vehicle imports as a solution.
Cab driver Manoj Kumar voiced his frustrations to The Fiji Times over the congestion problem, especially in high-density areas such as Nadera and Nakasi in Nasinu, where short trips can take up to an hour during peak hours.
The root of the problem, he insisted, centered around the ongoing importation of cars.
Arieta Navosa, 61, of Suvavou Village in Lami, a vendor based at the FNPF Plaza, said her daily routine was affected by both the traffic and unreliable bus services.
Earlier this year, LTA CEO Irimaia Rokosawa told a public consultation on traffic congestion along the Suva-Nausori corridor of public concerns about the number of vehicles on the roads creating traffic flow bottlenecks.
Placing a cap on imported second-hand motor vehicles, was one of the measures proposed to better manage the suffocating traffic congestion gripping the country’s main highways.
So again, we look up to the powers that be to reflect on concerns raised so far!
We look for answers to the growing concern.
And while we are at it, we also look to drivers to have the patience and understanding to drive through such challenging times.
We urge mostly taxi drivers trying to beat the queue to have patience, and to minibus drivers and bus drivers to stay on their lanes and be fair with other road users. Everyone wants to get to work or to school on time.
It is frustrating having to watch some taxi drivers drive past and going ahead of the queue as traffic crawls along at a snail’s pace!
Then it becomes extremely frustrating to watch bus drivers go past also, beating the queue!
With tempers reaching boiling point sometimes, it can be tough trying to control anger and manage frustration!
As we have said above, patience and discipline are essential.
We are all in this together.
The situation can get tough and solutions won’t appear overnight.
However, respect for fellow road users, adherence to traffic laws, and a sense of responsibility can go a long way in making our daily commutes a little more bearable!
